Recently, safe driving advocates and officials with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) joined residents nationwide in wearing white for safety.
It was all a part of this year’s Teen Driver Safety Week. By wearing white, residents helped to symbolize the effort to white out teen car accidents.
Our Cape Coral car accident lawyers understand that car crashes continue to be the number one cause of death of teenagers across the nation. This is no different in the state of Florida. As a matter of fact, there were approximately 700,000 licensed teenagers in the state of Florida last year. About 30,000 of these drivers were involved in crashes. Close to 200 of them lost their lives.
To help to spread the word about the risks and the dangers that our teens face behind the wheel, officials with the DHSMV and with the FHP visited schools across the state, including in Miami, Tampa, Apopka and Tallahassee, and are conducting presentations. These presentations showed these young drivers what exactly happens in the event of a serious car accident. The perspective is presented through the eyes of the paramedics, so our young drivers are getting a first-hand look at just how gruesome these crashes can be.
During these presentations, officers focused on the risks that are presented when teens have too many young passengers in the vehicle, when they drive while distracted, when they drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs and also the importance of wearing a seat belt during every car ride, whether you’re the driver or you’re a passenger.
“Getting your driver’s license for the first time is a rite of passage and a very exciting time for teens as they gain added independence,” said Julie L. Jones with the DHSMV.
We need to remind our young drivers that having a driver’s license is a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously and it is a privilege that can be taken away when not handled correctly.
It’s important that we teach our teens to be safe drivers from the beginning. The driving habits that they learn during their first few months behind the wheel are the driving habits that they’re most likely going to carry with them for the rest of their lives. Let’s make sure these are responsible and safe habits!
This year’s campaign is Drive with CARE (Courtesy, Attention, Responsibility and Experience). Let’s make sure that we’re instilling all of these qualities in our newly licensed drivers. Make sure they’re aware of the state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program and they’re abiding by these laws as well as the other rules of the road.
Where you think these laws are lacking, create your own parent-teen driving contract to enforce in your household. Lay down additional rules for all drivers to follow and lay down the consequences for breaking these rules, too.
You want driving to be as black and white as possible. There’s no room for questions here. It’s safe driving habits or none at all.
If you or your teen driver has been injured, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. 1-800-283-2900.
More Blog Entries:
Teen Drivers and Texting: National Campaign Stops in Fort Myers, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, October 18, 2012
Parents Shaping Teen Driver Habits through Example, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, October 9, 2012