Crash risk goes up for teens between Memorial Day and Labor Day

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has called the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. Teens, who are inexperienced to begin with, are on the road more frequently during the summer, which is why the risk they run for getting in a car crash increases about 15% in those 100 days. Parents of teen drivers in Tennessee should know what to do to address this trend.

It all comes down to safety education. Teens should know that it is clearly wrong to drive drowsy, drunk or impaired by drugs, yet it bears repeating whenever the Fourth of July celebrations are coming up. Teens should reduce the amount of night driving they do. In construction work zones, they must exercise greater caution.

Behind the wheel, teens should not engage in distracting activities like calling or texting. Even talking with passengers can take one’s attention from the road, so it’s best for teens to limit the number of passengers. Parents should also tell teens to be conscientious passengers and warn their friend against distracted or drunk driving.

Before heading out, teens should ensure that their vehicle is free of problems. They should check the tire pressure periodically. The way to their destination should be clear in their mind beforehand.

When a car accident is caused by the negligence of one of the parties, the other has a right to be reimbursed for damages resulting from that accident, including medical expenses and any income lost during the physical recovery. Building up a claim, though, requires knowledge of personal injury law, so victims may want an attorney to assist them. The attorney may even handle negotiations with the auto insurance company’s legal team. If negotiations fail, the attorney might take the case to court.