Driving takes a lot of concentration. However, teens are often easily distracted, which can lead to a car accident caused by distracted driving. It’s important as a parent and policyholder of Colorado Springs auto insurance to be aware of this phenomenon and educate your teens. johnsmithinsure.com

1. Car Insurance Facts for Teens: The Dangers of Distracted Driving
Driving takes a lot of concentration. However, teens are often easily distracted, which can lead to a car accident caused
by distracted driving. It’s important as a parent and policyholder of Colorado Springs auto insurance to be aware of this
phenomenon and educate your teens.
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
According to statistics from the US Department of Transportation, more than 1000 car accident injuries occur each day
due to distracted driving. Not all of these accidents are caused by teens, but it is one of the main reasons behind
incidents involving teen drivers.
Distracted driving can lead to all kinds of accidents, from minor fender-benders to major crashes with severe injury. In
fact, the same study by the US DOT shows that an average of nine people die each day from a distracted driving crash.
What is Distracted Driving?
The term has gained popularity in recent years with the increased usage of mobile phones and other portable tech
gadgets. You see a car pull up next to you at a stop sign with the driver looking at their phone, and you probably shake
your head. There is a situation just waiting for an accident to occur.
What might surprise you to know is that while smartphone use does lead to accidents, data shows that the biggest
culprit of distractions for drivers comes from other passengers. The driver turns their head to look at the person for just
a minute and then they are involved in a rear-end collision. Or they may be talking to someone and looking in their
rearview mirror or even turning around towards the back seat.
Even with their hands on the wheel and their eyes straight ahead, they may not be focused on what’s going on around
them. Instead, they are paying more attention to the conversation going on in the car. They fail to see the car in front
of them put on their brakes or another vehicle pull out beside them as they switch lanes.
How to Prevent Your Teen from Being Distracted
Laws are constantly changing when it comes to driving. Some states have limits for how many passengers can ride with
an underage teen driver. However, it only takes one passenger or any other factor to cause the driver to become
distracted.
Parents must talk to their teens about what can cause them to be distracted. They can set ground rules about what the
teen can and cannot do when they’re behind the wheel. Many of the newer model cars have limits which parents can
set for speed and radio volume even when their teen is driving.
It’s also a good idea to let your teen pay for their own Colorado Springs auto insurance. As they work to earn the
money to pay the monthly premiums, they will be more aware of how mistakes with their driving can lead to an
accident and cause rates to increase.
Make sure your teen is aware of what distracted driving is and what they should do to be safe and responsible drivers.
It only takes a few seconds to get in an accident when you aren’t paying attention. Help your teen avoid being another
statistic on the road.