Teens are at an especially high risk of being involved in Tennessee car accidents. Numbers show that last year alone, roughly 39,000 crashes in our state involved a driver who was 20-years-old or younger. That’s around 13 percent of all crashes that were recorded in the state last year.
To help reduce the number of teen driving accidents that occur each year in our state, two government agencies are partnering up to promote a teen driving safety campaign next week.
According to an article from News Channel 5, the Governor’s Highway Safety Office and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has declared the week of Oct. 19-25 as Teen Driver Safety Week in Tennessee. Officials say the program aims to give parents the information they need to effectively talk to their children about safe driving, while also getting the conversation going among teens and their peers. Last year, the program unveiled the “5 To Drive” initiative, which touched on the five most dangerous behaviors behind the wheel.
At Ponce Law, we understand the importance of teaching teens safe driving techniques. That’s why our Nashville auto accident attorneys encourage parents to talk to their teen drivers on a regular basis about driving safety. We also urge the use of a teen driving contract, that establishes an agreement between teens and adults that they will not engage in risky behaviors behind the wheel, such as speeding, drinking and driving, texting and driving, or operating vehicles with numerous passengers.