Life-Saving Summer Driving Tips for Teens

The period of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often the most fun season of the year. School is out, the sun is shining, and summer adventures on underway. It’s an exciting time, but summer is also the most dangerous time of year for teen drivers. The roads are crowded with new drivers, vacationers and college students who have come home for the season, and the result is the highest percentage of automobile collisions for the whole year. If you are hitting the roads this summer, follow these tips to stay safe:

Watch Your Speed

Most crashes are caused by aggressive driver behavior and speed. Take it slow and be aware of oncoming cars and children playing. Lower speeds aren’t just safer — they also equal better gas mileage!

Take Your Time

If you are meeting up with friends or heading to work, give yourself more time than you think you need to get there. Speeding is a factor in over 30 percent of all fatal crashes, so avoid rushing to get to where you need to go.

Pay Attention to the Weather

Summer rains can be hazardous on the roads. If it is raining, turn your headlights on and maintain a safe following distance between your car and the next.

Stay Focused

No text message or phone call is more important than your safety, and searching your phone for music, applying makeup and eating behind the wheel can also cause crashes. Remember this: reading or sending a text means you are looking at your phone, not the road, for nearly five seconds. If you are driving on the freeway at just 55 mph, that is the equivalent of driving an entire football field’s length with your eyes closed!

Remember these tips next time you hit the road this summer to stay safe while enjoying the season!