This week – and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need ot follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
The rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers:
- distracted driving (texting while driving)
- impaired driving (alcohol and drugs)
- inconsistent or no seat belt use
- number of passengers
- speeding
1. Parents: October 20-26, 2019, is National Teen Driver Safety Week, a great time to talk with your teen driver about the importance of safe driving. In fact, you can keep the conversation going all year long!
2. Parents, it doesn’t matter whether your teen drives a car, pickup truck, or SUV — the rules of the road stay the same no matter what. Talk to them about driving safety during National Teen Driver Safety Week.
3. Drugs and alcohol, inconsistent seat belt use, distracted driving, speeding, and extra passengers are contributing factors to teen driver vehicle crashes. Parents, it’s so important to talk to your teen about these dangers during National Teen Driver Safety Week, and every day thereafter.
4. In 2017, there were 2,247 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver. Parents, it’s your job to initiate an ongoing discussion about driving safety with your teen driver, not just during National Teen Driver Safety Week, but every day thereafter.
5. Parents, your teens are too young to buy or consume alcohol, but some still find a way: In 2017, 15% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking.
6. Seat belts are a simple way to stay safe in any vehicle. Parents, remind your teen driver to buckle up — every trip, every time — and to make sure their passengers do, too.
7. Safe driving requires 100% attention, so remind your teen driver to keep distractions out of the vehicle. In 2017, 9% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were distracted at the time of the crash.
8. Speeding is especially deadly for teen drivers: In 2017, 27% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash. Parents, remind your teen to slow down and obey the posted speed limits.
9. Parents, enforce a passenger maximum for your teen driver: Research shows the risk of a fatal crash goes up in direct relation to the number of passengers in a car.
10. Parents, teach your teen driver to be a safe driver during National Teen Driver Safety Week, and every day thereafter. If they can’t handle the rules of the road, they can’t handle the keys to the car.
About the Louisiana Ambulance Alliance
The Louisiana Ambulance Alliance (LAA) is a diverse group of EMS providers who promote emergency medical transport as a distinct concern in Louisiana; serve as a forum for a unified voice for healthcare providers, public officials, healthcare workers, educators and consumers working to improve emergency medical transport in Louisiana; provide a forum for the exchange and distribution of ideas and information related to the improvement of emergency medical transport; serve as an advocate for emergency medical transport, promoting improved health status and improvements to the health system for residents of Louisiana; and encourage the development of appropriate health resources for Louisiana.
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