Before cell phones and tablets, before MP3 players and the GPS, teens still caused serious and deadly accidents. We often, correctly, talk to our kids about the dangers of cell phones and other electronic distractions before they leave our homes to travel on I-71 or other local Louisville roads. We think about how things are different now from when we were kids, but the truth is that some things haven’t changed much.
Some Distractions Remain the Same
Some of the things that killed our friends on the summer nights immediately following our high school graduations or on the road trips we took in college are still risks for our children. For example, the following can result in serious or fatal crashes:
- Changing the radio station.
- Reaching for a snack.
- Accepting a dare.
- Driving while fighting with a boyfriend or girlfriend – or immediately after when the driver is angry or sad.
- Having friends in the car who are loud or rowdy.
In short, anything that requires a driver to take his eyes off the road, his hands off the wheel, or his attention away from driving safely can be deadly.
What We Can Do About it
As a community we can continue to raise awareness and try to get through to each and every teen driver. If you are concerned about your teen, about your own safety, or about the safety of someone you love then we encourage you to share this blog post on Facebook and Twitter to get the word out that cell phones aren’t the only distraction capable of causing a driver to take a life.