One Pimple is One Too Many - Teen Driving

Driving - it sounds like a dream doesn't it?

Finally, the power to just start the car and go wherever you want!

However, driving has some extra responsibilities you need to be mindful of.
Here are some tips to make your driving experience safer.

Reduce the number of passengers in your car.
It might seem cool to be the one driving all your friends around but adding just one extra passenger can double your chances at having an accident.

Hang out with friends at the mall, the coffeeshop, the beach, at home (basically anywhere without wheels) instead of in the car.

Don’t drive if you've been drinking or doing drugs, and don't ride with anyone who has been either.

The next three might seem like common sense but they're worth repeating:

Drive the speed limit.
Don't text or talk on the phone when you're driving.
(Now I know, this one seems hard but trust me - you're conversation can wait until your stationary. And that doesn't mean when you stop at a red light or stop sign. When you're talking on the phone or texting a friend while driving, your attention is diverted elsewhere instead of where it needs to be, the road.)
Put down the MP3 player while you're in the car.
(I'm not saying you shouldn't listen to music, it's a lot of fun jamming out in the car! But if you have your headphones on, it's much easier to think about the next lyric instead of the car next to you. Even if you're playing the music on the car radio, be sure to turn it down not only as a courtesy to the cars around you, but as a safety measure for yourself.)


It's no secret that driving can be dangerous but did you know:

In the U.S., 5,000 teens die every year in car crashes. That's an average of 14 a day.
Don't let your friends (or you) be one of the 14.

300,000 teens are injured in car crashes each year. That's like all of Tampa, Florida, getting hurt in one year.

Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens in the U.S., even more than alcohol and drug abuse, violence and suicide.

If you drive between 9 p.m. and midnight, you're twice as likely to get in a crash

Two-thirds (66%) of teens who die in car wrecks are not buckled up.


Be sure to talk with your parents about safe driving and to follow the rules they set for you. You're parents have been driving for a lot longer than you have and remember what it feels like to be a new driver!

Be safe and have a great week!

Ariel

P.S. Statistics taken from Keep the Drive. For more information on how to be a safe driver and to become an advocate for safe teen drivng, check out Keep the Drive