Most parents are unable to name the biggest threat to teen safety
Parents always want to make sure their sons and daughters are kept safe, but a new survey released by the National Safety Council suggests that the vast majority of parents are unaware of what the single biggest threat to their teenage children actually is. Although car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers, less than a quarter of parents in the survey identified car accidents as such, according to Bloomberg. The threat motor vehicle accidents pose to teen safety is especially acute in Florida, where police say they have witnessed a significant increase in car accidents involving teenagers this year.
Leading threat
The National Safety Council’s survey asked parents to identify what they considered to be the biggest safety concern for 15- 19-year-olds. Only 24 percent of parents were able to correctly identify car accidents as the leading cause of death among this age group. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that in 2013 alone 6,600 people aged 15 to 24 were killed in motor vehicle accidents, more than died in all non-transportation-related accidents combined.
The NSC points out that not knowing the very serious threat driving poses to teen safety can lead to some parents overlooking what is otherwise risky behavior. For example, close to half of all parents say they allow their teenage children to drive at 10 p.m. or later despite the fact that 40 percent of fatal accidents occur after 10 p.m. Additionally, most parents who admit to using a cellphone while driving also say they do so regardless of whether or not their teenage children are in the vehicle with them.
Florida teen car crashes
In Florida, the issue of teen car safety is especially important, particularly since the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) says it has seen a 10-percent increase accidents involving teenagers so far in 2015, according to Suncoast News.
The FHP points out that parents have a central role to play in reducing accidents among teenagers. Teenagers, for example, are more likely than any other age group to engage in distracted driving. Combined with their inexperience behind the wheel, distracted driving among teenagers can and often does lead to deadly results. Teenagers who see their parents using a cellphone while driving are more likely to engage in this dangerous behavior themselves.
Personal injury
Car accidents are especially common among new drivers, but they can happen to anyone and at any age. All too often a crash occurs because of another driver’s negligence or recklessness. For anybody who has been injured in an accident, it is important to reach out to a personal injury attorney. A qualified attorney will be able to inform accident victims of what legal options are available to them, including, in some cases, pursuing financial compensation.
