Distractions Put Teen Drivers at Higher Risk for Accidents

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One of the most important milestones in a teenager’s life is getting that set of keys to their first car and the freedom that comes along with it. The last thing on a teen driver’s mind is the associated risks of driving and the eye-opening statistics that show that teen driving is risky. The summer months prove to be the most dangerous for young drivers as they have more free time to spend on the road.

Whether it’s due to their novice skills or easily distracted nature, the risk of being in a car crash is four times more likely for drivers between the ages of 16 and 19. Additionally, their chances of a fatal collision are highest within the first six months of obtaining their driver’s license.

Car accidents are the leading cause of deaths for teenagers in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

These risks increase even more when there are teen passengers in the car. Like texting and driving, having other young people in the vehicle serve as an easy distraction that deter teen drivers from focusing on the road.

One tool that is decreasing these risks for teens is Graduated Driver Licensing programs (GDL). This tiered driving program allows new drivers to ease into full driving privileges as they gain experience and driving hours. In Arizona, teens must be at least 15 years and 6 months old to obtain their graduated instruction permit. At age 16 they may apply for their graduated driver’s license after completion of various criteria. To view this information you may visit the Arizona Department of Transportation web site. This program enables teen drivers to learn how to navigate the roads safely under lower risk situations.

AAA offers interactive tools to prepare both parents and teens for driving, including a guide to teen driver safety. Some of these tips include:

• Always wearing a seatbelt
• Not riding with other teens in the vehicle without parental consent
• Being a safe passenger
• Restrict night time driving
• Always remain alert of potentially hazardous situations
• Never drive aggressively- aggressive driving increases chances of a collision drastically

There are many resources available for both parents and teen drivers to educate themselves about safe driving. Remember to practice healthy driving habits in front of your teen.

Texting While Driving–A Risky Gamble

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Gambling is part of the human condition. People flock to Las Vegas to risk losing a small amount of money to have a chance at winning big. Many times, the end result is losing big, while winning nothing.

This same risk behavior analysis occurs when people text while driving. Most who text while driving believe that they can do so safely—after all, they’ve done it before and nothing bad happened. This type of gambling, even if one has gotten away with it before, is far riskier than losing money in Las Vegas.

When we text while driving, in the two or more seconds of focusing our attention on the cell phone instead of the road, we are gambling that something unexpected will not happen.

We are gambling that a small child will not at that moment dart across the street chasing a ball.

We are gambling that the large van in front of us, which had been going 40 miles per hour, is not going to suddenly veer off into the left turn bay, immediately exposing us to a stopped row of cars.

We are gambling that the green light we were approaching isn’t going to turn yellow the instant we train our eyes on our cell phone, leaving us in a position to run a red light at the intersection.

We are gambling that the mother and her two small children who were not very noticeable when they started walking across the unmarked crosswalk will be able to see that we are not being safe drivers and will somehow avoid a catastrophe for herself and her children.

We are also gambling that the driver next to us is going to be paying attention to the road, and not to a cell phone, and is going to avoid causing a sudden emergency to which we would be unable to respond because of our momentary focus on texting.

Texting While Driving Illegal in Tucson

Yes, laws across the country are changing, so that texting, or even reading a text, will be illegal. On April 1, 2012, a new ordinance will take effect in Tucson, Arizona, that will make it illegal to text or read a text while driving.

However, we should avoid texting while driving not only because of the new law, but also because eventually, such gambling can cause us to lose everything. The safest bet while driving is to expect the unexpected, and to focus exclusively on driving.