Statistics show that if you travel on Louisiana highways any time from Memorial Day through the 100 days that follow, you may be at great risk for a motor vehicle collision. In fact, your chances of getting in an accident increase if you share roadways with teenage drivers during those times. Fatal collisions involving young and inexperienced drivers are so prevalent in the days and weeks that follow Memorial Day that this particular time of year has come to be known as the “100 Deadliest Days.”
That doesn’t mean, however, that you’re free of risk if you navigate state highways on the other days of the year. As a conscientious driver, you obviously make every effort to stay as safe as possible every time you set out to reach your destination. No matter how alert and cautious you are behind the wheel, you just never know who’s driving the cars around you and whether one of the motorists in your vicinity might be a distracted teenage driver.
Three top distractions to beware
You probably can remember what it was like to be a teenager. Feeling immortal seems to be a common (albeit erroneous) part of young adulthood. In your own youth, this may have led you to make poor choices from time to time. Life for today’s teenagers is not that much different in this regard and that fact may place you at risk for injury when it comes to teenagers who are distracted while they drive. The following list describes three major distractions that often lead to accidents involving drivers under age 21:
- Interaction with car occupants: Do you remember the days when you could gab with your friends for hours on end? Teenagers are full of energy and love to share their thoughts with peers. The problem is that when they do this while they’re driving, it’s a big distraction and often leads to a collision.
- Using hand-held devices behind the wheel: It’s never safe to send or receive text messages while driving, nor is it a good idea to talk on a cell phone or take pictures to post to social networks while you’re navigating a highway. Sadly, teenagers often do these things and many innocent victims have paid the ultimate price for their poor judgement.
- Multi-tasking: All you should do while you drive is drive. Many drivers adjust radio knobs or reach for items under a seat, in a purse or elsewhere inside their vehicles, which causes them to unexpectedly lose control of their steering.
Any of these distractions can land you in the hospital if they lead to collisions. In a split second, a distracted teenage driver can cause you to be disabled for the rest of your life.