Teens often enjoy the freedom of commuting to school and most parents support the idea. However a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that teen commutes may contribute to Florida car accidents and accidents across the country. Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety collected data on accidents between 2001 and 2004 and found that there was an increase in car accident rates during school commutes in the afternoon and morning. As well, researchers found that about 30% of car accidents involving drivers between 16 and 17 years old occurred during school commute times.
According to researchers, many evening car accidents involving teen drivers take place due to drinking and driving or speeding, but this is not the case with school commute time accidents. Instead, researchers concluded that distraction and fatigue are the contributing causes in these accidents.
According to Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), there are several things that can be done to help prevent Florida pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents during school rush hours:
1) Let your teen know about the dangers. Teen drivers may assume that commute drives are safer because they do not take place at night. Share statistics about school commute accident rates and encourage your teen drivers to stay extra alert.
2) Do not let your teen drive tired. Have your teen agree to drive only if they have gotten eight hours or more of sleep a night. Offer a ride if your teen has been staying up late or is under stress due to exams or school work.
3) Encourage your teen drivers to stay out of cars where other teen drivers display unsafe driver behavior. Teens often commute together and sometimes take turns carpooling. However, teens may also feel peer pressure not to speak up if a driver is driving distracted or tired.
If your teen has been in a Florida car accident, you need to move quickly in order to safeguard your child’s rights. Contact the Flaxman Law Group for legal advice an initial free accident consultation to discuss your case. The Flaxman Law Group has helped many young drivers in the South Florida communities of Miami, Hollywood, and Homestead as well as surrounding communities. We can help you understand your options so that you can move forward.