Last month a teenage passenger tragically died in a Las Vegas area car accident. The passenger was reportedly riding in a car with an unlicensed teen driver who failed to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle was then T-boned by another vehicle in the intersection. Driving and being a passenger as a teenager can be dangerous. Have you talked to your teen about passenger safety? If you haven’t, then this article is for you. Here, we provide our best passenger safety tips for teens.
We hope these teen passenger safety tips help you and your loved ones stay safe. We also understand that even the most cautious person can be injured in a car accident. If a car accident injures you or a loved one, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. Anthem Injury Lawyers has a dedicated team of lawyers and staff ready to help you with your personal injury case. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Talk to Your Teen About Passenger Safety
Did you know that teens driving with friends face a higher safety risk than teens driving alone? That’s one of the many reasons that Nevada’s graduated driver license program includes rules about passengers. However, rules alone are not enough to keep your teen passengers safe. You should also talk to your teen about passenger safety. During your discussions, keep in mind the below talking points.
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Buckle Up
Your teen should wear a seat belt every time they get in a vehicle. Buckling up is the single most effective thing your teen can do to stay protected in a crash. Don’t just talk about wearing a seat belt. You should set an example for your teen by buckling up every time you get in the car with your teen.
Be a Safe Passenger
Unfortunately for teens, teen passengers increase the risk of an accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- The presence of teen or young adult passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with each additional teen or young adult passenger.
How can your teen be a safe passenger? The best way for your teen to be a safe passenger is to keep distractions to a minimum. Distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents among both teens and adults. Distracted driving is driving while doing anything that takes the driver’s attention away from the task of safe driving. Passenger distractions are particularly dangerous for new drivers. Talk to your teen about safe passenger behaviors, like the following:
- Reading directions when asked
- Avoiding loud or emotional conversations
- Managing the car settings like temperature and music
- Respecting the driver and their wishes
- Avoiding rambunctious play in the car
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Only Ride With Experienced Drivers
Your teen should only ride with experienced drivers. Nevada imposes passenger restrictions on teen drivers, including the following:
- Young drivers may not transport any passenger under the age of 18, except for immediate family members, for the first six months after the license was issued.
There are reasons for the above passenger restrictions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Crash risk is particularly high during the first months of licensure. Data from one survey indicates that the crash rate per mile driven is about 1.5 times as high for 16-year-old drivers as it is for 18–19-year-old drivers.
Talk to your teen about who is driving them and ask about their driving experience. Just because a driver has a license, doesn’t mean your teen should be riding in a vehicle with them.
We hope your teen stay safe on the road. If an inexperienced driver injures your teen in a Las Vegas area accident, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. Remember that insurance companies won’t take their side when it comes to receiving compensation for their injuries. Your teen needs an experienced car accident lawyer to ensure they receive the compensation they deserve. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
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Only Ride With Sober Drivers
Impaired drivers are dangerous for everyone. Talk to your teen about the importance of saying no to rides from impaired drivers. Let your teen know their transportation options if they don’t feel comfortable getting in a car. Discuss alternatives like calling a parent or another trusted adult for a ride.
Signs a Driver May Be Impaired
Did you know that one in four car crashes with teens involve an underage drunk driver? That is why it is so important that your teen avoids getting a car with anyone who has been drinking.
It can be difficult to recognize that a driver is impaired, especially for teen passengers. When you talk to your teen, discuss signs they can look out for which may indicate that a driver is impaired. MADD provides the following signs that a driver may be impaired:
- Quick acceleration or deceleration
- Tailgating
- Weaving or zig-zagging across the road
- Driving anywhere other than on a road designated for vehicles
- Almost striking an object, curb, or vehicle
- Stopping without cause or erratic braking
- Drifting in and out of traffic lanes
- Signaling that is inconsistent with driving actions
- Slow response to traffic signals (e.g. sudden stop or delayed start)
- Straddling the center lane marker
- Driving with headlights off at night
- Swerving
- Driving slower than 10 mph below the speed limit
- Turning abruptly or illegally
- Driving into opposing traffic on the wrong side of the road
Only Ride With Licensed Drivers
Talk to your teen about the importance of only riding with licensed drivers. It is okay for your teen to ask to see a person’s driver license before they get in the car. This is especially true if they are going to ride with a young driver.
Not everyone on the road has a driver license. That makes the road a dangerous place for passengers and other drivers. Practice what your teen should do if the driver doesn’t have a license. Discuss alternatives to getting in the car like calling a parent or walking.
EXPERIENCED LAS VEGAS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS
We hope your teens stay safe on the road. If another driver injures you or a loved one in a Las Vegas area accident, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer will work aggressively to protect your rights and help you receive maximum compensation.
Award-winning law firm Anthem Injury Lawyers is a team of experienced and dedicated personal injury lawyers. We are based in Henderson, Nevada, and serve clients throughout the Las Vegas area. When we say we offer personal injury law experience, we mean over 25 years of experience. This is the combination of knowledge and expertise you need to win significant compensation as a victim in a Las Vegas area accident. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
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