It’s important to remember that school starts this week in Fayette County and in addition to more traffic with school buses and commuters back from vacation, the number of inexperienced teen-age drivers also increases in the morning and afternoon. New UK, Transy and BCTC students will also arrive in Lexington this week and many of them will be unfamiliar with streets and directions here.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Six teens ages 16 to 19 die every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.
Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.
If you have a teen-age driver in your home, make sure they understand the rules of the road and smart driving techniques.
Here are a few things to remember before you and your teen hit the road this week.
- Put the cell phone in the back seat of the car. No texting and driving. No talking and driving. No Facebooking or Snapchatting while in driver.
- Make sure the car is in good mechanical condition.
- Get plenty of rest. Drowsy driving is just another type of impaired driving.
- Take your time. Being late for class is better than a trip to the emergency room – or worse.
Here’s more on safe teen driving:
Teen Smart Driving Information from the National Safety Council
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