The Prince William County Police Department is participating in National Teen Driver Safety Week from October 15 to October 21.
Started by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the week encourages parents to talk with teen drivers about the rules of the road for safe driving.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States – ahead of ALL other types of injury, disease or violence, according to NHTSA. The most dangerous and deadly driving behaviors for teen drivers are alcohol use, lack of seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and driving with one or more passengers,” stated a release.
Here are driving recommendations from the Prince William police:
No Drinking and Driving. All teens are too young to legally buy, possess or consume alcohol, but they are still at risk. Nationally in 2015, almost one out of five teen passengers or vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking. Remind your teen that driving under the influence of any impairing substance, including illicit and prescription drugs, could have deadly consequences and is strictly enforced.
Buckle Up—Every Trip, Every Time. Everyone—Front Seat and Back. Wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest ways for teens to stay safe in a vehicle and it is required in all 50 states. Yet too many teens are not buckling up, and neither are their passengers. In 2015, 531 passengers died in a car, truck, or SUV driven by a teen driver, and 58 percent of those passengers were NOT buckled up at the time of the fatal crash. Even more troubling, in 84 percent of cases when the teen driver was unbuckled, the passengers were also unbuckled. Remind your teen that it is important to buckle up on every trip, every time, no matter what – front seat and back.
Eyes on the Road, Hands on the Wheel. All the Time. Distractions while driving are more than just risky—they can be deadly and are outlawed in 47 States, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2015, among teen passenger-vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes, 10 percent were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. Remind your teen about the dangers of texting and using a phone while driving. Distracted driving isn’t limited to cell phone use; other passengers, audio and climate controls in the vehicle, and eating or drinking while driving are all examples of dangerous distractions for teen drivers.
Follow the Posted Speed Limit. Speeding is a critical issue for all drivers, especially for teens. In 2015, almost one-third (29%) of teen passenger vehicle drivers involved in a fatal crash were speeding at the time of the crash. Remind your teen to drive within the speed limit at all times.
Passengers. Passengers in a teen’s car can lead to disastrous consequences. According to data analyzed by NHTSA, teen drivers were 2.5 times more likely to engage in one or more potentially risky behaviors when driving with one teenage peer, when compared to driving alone. The likelihood of teen drivers engaging in risky behaviors triples when driving with multiple passengers.
Avoid Driving Tired. Teens are busier than ever – studying, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and spending time with friends are among the long list of things they do to fill their time. However, with all of these activities, teens tend to compromise something very important: sleep. This is a dangerous habit that can lead to drowsy driving. Make sure your teen gets a good night’s sleep; their grades, their friends, their passengers, and other drivers will thank them because they will be a safer driver.
