CAR ACCIDENTS ARE #1 KILLER OF TEENS: CELL PHONE TALKING AND TEXTING ADD TO DANGER
As the Today Show reported this week, car crashes continue to be the most common cause of death for teenagers, and teen’s frequent cell phone use (talking and text messaging) while they drive greatly increases the danger. In a series of controlled tests, experts found that teens are increasingly distracted and overly confident of their abilities on the road. This information combined with teen’s lack of driving experience makes for a frightening combination. Parents of teens who are driving or about to drive are urged to get involved to insure the safety of the children and other drivers to prevent more accidents and deaths.
Most teenagers posses a cell phone for safety and/or social reasons; however unlike most adults, teenagers hardly have any experience behind the wheel. At an age where social communication is extremely important, many kids have a problem taking a break from or ignoring their cell phones. The featured study showed that looking away from the road for more than 2 seconds is extremely dangerous with potentially fatal consequences. Using a cell phone to dial, answer, read or type easily takes more than 2 seconds, and this applies to both adults and teens. In the test, the teen subjects’ cell phone use resulted in numerous simulated injuries and deaths. Clearly, teenagers’ lack of behind-the-wheel experience along with their attachment to cell phones causes increased risk including missing a red light, running a crosswalk, failing to see upcoming traffic, and a host of other hazards.
While 16 is the age that most states allow children to begin driving on their own, not all of them may be prepared for this enormous and important responsibility. Parents are advised to (a) make responsible decisions regarding children’s abilities and preparedness; (b) set up rules and precautions to keep children from using cell phones (and other distractions) while driving; and (c) educate children regarding car safety and the dangers at risk to themselves, their passengers and the other people on the road.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, you should speak with a lawyer. If you are located in California, please contact the Law Offices of Greenberg & Rudman LLP toll-free at 1-800-ALAWPRO (1-800-252-9776). We’ll provide a confidential consultation to apprise you of your rights and help you recover the compensation you deserve.
