Florida Driver Education
Driving Safe on Florida Roads
Driving during the summer is especially dangerous for teen drivers. It makes sense. Teens spend a lot more time driving in the summer so the risks are naturally higher. If you're a teen driver or a parent consider these facts before the summer kicks off - it could save a life.
Teen drivers average 23.6 hours a week behind the wheel in the summer, which is 44 percent more than the rest of the year.
Teens are more likely to have three or more other teens in the car with them. With each additional teen the risks of accident increase dramatically. This practice called piling in encourages speeding and behavior that distracts the driver.
Teens are much more likely to stay out late during the summer and night driving is inherently more dangerous for inexperienced drivers. Young drivers find it more difficult to judge distances at night and therefore have more accidents.
Staying out late equals sleep deprived drivers, this translates into more accidents. Driving tired is very risky especially for inexperienced drivers.
If these risks were not enough the majority of teens talk on their cell phones while driving and speeding. This added distraction commonly takes your eyes off the road and puts you in danger.
Add up all the factors and you've got dramatic increase in accidents and resulting deaths. Liberty mutual created a set of tools to help teens understand the risks of summer driving and learn to make better decisions.
Avoiding Collisions: How to Survive the Teenage Driving Years focuses on seat belt usage, speeding, driving at night, and the effects of drugs and alcohol on driving. We encourage parents to visit the site, review it with your teen drivers and discuss it.
