Keep Young Drivers Safe
Car crashes are the number one killer of teens in the United States and a leading cause of death in countries around the world. According to NHTSA statistics, May and July are two of the deadliest months for youth on the roads.
A recent survey was taken which revealed 94 percent of accidents were caused by the driver. Vehicles, environment, and unknown critical reasons make up the remaining 6 percent. This means a majority of accidents can be limited and even prevented. An important way to do this is to have regular conversations with your teen about the dangers they need to mitigate while driving.
Give constant reminders that wearing a seatbelt is a quick and simple step to take for a safer ride. Parents modeling this behavior is even more effective than just talking about it.
Let your teen know that social media can wait and their cell phone will still be with them at the end of their travels.
Remember that teens are new drivers and limiting unnecessary distractions in the car can aide them in developing their skills. This includes knowing who is in the car with your teen.
Be familiar with Illinois Graduated Driver’s License laws, as new drivers are restricted to the amount of passengers that can be in the car with them.
And as always - get there safe, not fast.
Huntley Safety 1st is the monthly education series written by the staff of the Huntley Police Department. On the first of each month, we provide citizens with information on a different public safety related issue.