For many New York teens, distracted driving is just a way of life. Despite widespread public awareness campaigns that aim to reduce the risk associated with texting while driving and other distracted behaviors, many teens continue to use their mobile phones or other devices behind the wheel. This can be a particular concern with teenage drivers as most are inexperienced and may face even more difficulty in emergency situations without the threat posed by distraction. However, many parents report that even if their teens do not text and drive, they regularly get in the car with others who do.
Many parents focus on warning their teens to avoid distracted driving. However, about 60% of parents participating in one research survey said that their kids had been passengers in a car with a distracted friend behind the wheel. Researchers pointed to the results to urge parents of teens to educate their kids about the risks of being a passenger with a distracted or otherwise negligent driver. The study aimed to look at parents’ interactions with teen driving. Over 30% of the parents involved said that their kids rode with other teen drivers at least once every week.
Concerned about the risk of severe car accidents, some parents put restrictions on their kids’ role as passengers. Almost 40% of parents said that they were especially concerned about trips with more than two teens in the car. As a result, 67% of parents said that they restricted their kids from riding with other teen drivers on late-night trips, especially those taking place after midnight.
A catastrophic car accident can be devastating for a teen’s life and future. People who have been injured in a collision caused by someone else’s distracted driving may work with a personal injury lawyer to seek compensation for their damages.