South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog
Our Stuart car accident attorneys have been talking about the risks that teen drivers face during this time of the year on our South Florida roadways.
They’ve got prom, graduation and summer break. We recently discussed “Prom Patrol,” a program going on in South Florida to help keep teens safe behind the wheel. Now, we’re going to talk about even larger efforts, on a nationwide level. It’s the Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) and it’s targeting teens across the country, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
“Unfortunately, safety can take a back seat to the excitement associated with the many celebrations around prom and graduation,” said Jim Graham, manager of the DSFL program.
Our Stuart injury attorneys understand that auto accidents are the number one cause of death for these young drivers between the ages of 15- and 20-years-old. Recent statistics showed an increase in the number of these fatal accidents involving these drivers during the second half of 2011. Experts believe that this increase sheds light into the trends we can expect to see throughout the year. That’s why parents and safe driving advocates nationwide are stepping up and stepping in to help get safety back to the top of the list. By revamping these young drivers’ roadway attitudes, we can help to save precious lives at the same time.
Mile for mile, teenage drivers are nearly five times as likely to get into a deadly crash as older drivers. Every year, about 3,000 of these newly-licensed drivers die in car accidents nationwide. It’s these drivers who also have the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes.
The Ford Driving Skills for Life program will be reaching roughly 1,000 students across the nation through hands-on driving modules and events. Who’s reaching these kids? Conducting these programs are some of the country’s most notable professional drivers. In these events and programs, instructors will be covering speed/space management, distracted driving, vehicle handling as well as hazard and danger recognition.
The DSFL program is also working with various high schools, awarding them with grants for creating winning safety education campaigns.
Parents and guardians are urged to remind the teen drivers in their lives about the risks on our roadways during this time of the year. As students head to prom, graduation and are let out of school for summer break, they’ll be hitting the road. With their increase in travel they’ll be increasing their risks for an accident. Be sure to stick to your guns and keep driving rules tight. Make sure there’s a strict driving curfew established in your household in addition to passenger limitations and distracted driving regulations. Your intervention can help to keep your kid safe behind the wheel during this dangerous time on our roadways.
If you or the teen driver in your life has been injured or killed in a car accident in Margate, Hallandale, Pompano Beach or elsewhere in the South Florida area, contact the personal injury attorneys of Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC to set up a free and confidential appointment to discuss your case. Call 1-800-561-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Car Accidents in Parkland Likely Caused by Cell Phones, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, April 11, 2012