Safety Guide to Preventing Teenage Car Accidents in New York

A driver’s license earned after hours of hard work and practice is an occasion for celebration. But it is crucial for teenagers to remember that as a new driver, they now bear an added level of responsibility to other people on the road and any passengers riding with them. While no one wants to consider the possibility of their teen causing or being in a road accident, it’s vital for parents to instruct their teens on how to drive safely to prevent teenage car driving accidents in New York.

Things to Teach Your Teenager about Car Accidents in NYC

Teenage car accidents are an unfortunate possibility for any teen who is driving on the streets of New York. Make sure you teach your teenager these tips to prepare for such an eventuality.

Keep an Accident Kit Ready in the Car

Help your teenager put together an accident kit that contains some flares, warning triangles, a card with calling information and information about allergies or medical conditions, a pen and some paper, and a disposable camera. Advise them to carry their phone in the car when driving so that they can easily communicate with you in the event of an accident.

Stay Calm in Stressful Situations

When a teenager has their first accident, it is natural to feel shocked, scared, and confused. Help your teen to practice staying calm in such situations by a routine of some deep breathing to regain focus on the reality of the situation. Teach them how to think with clarity about what needs to be done to deal with the calamity.

Check Yourself for Injuries

If you find yourself injured and unable to move a part of your body, the best action is to stay in your seat with the seatbelt on. Make sure you turn the hazard lights on so that others in the vicinity understand that there has been a problem. If you feel well enough, use your phone to call 911 for help and wait until it arrives. In the meantime, if you have not been seriously hurt, try to move your car out of the way of traffic to a nearby parking lot or on to a shoulder of the road. If there is no such safe spot to which you can move the car, make sure you place the warning triangles or flares around the car to warn other vehicles of your situation.

Call 911 and the Police

As soon as the accident occurs, it is vital to relay all the necessary information to 911 to allow them to send the necessary help. Make sure you inform the police too so that they can reach the accident site to prepare the accident report. Avoid getting into a discussion or argument regarding who is at fault, with the other parties involved in the accident or with a police officer.

Ask for a copy of the police report for your records. Make sure it has the name and contact details of the officer who prepared the report. This report will play a crucial role if your case goes to court.

Collect all the Necessary Information

Make a note of the details of the other driver. Collect information regarding their name, contact number and address, their license number, and plate number and information regarding their insurance carrier. Provide the same details regarding your contact information, vehicle details, and insurance provider information to the other driver

Write Your Report of the Crash

With time, your memory of the crash will begin to fade and change. So, it is important that you quickly make a note of all that happened in the accident at the earliest. Write down the date, time, and location information. Make a note of the make and color of the other vehicles that were involved.

Create your own timeline of the events that took place. Use your camera to capture pictures of the damages to your and the other vehicle and the street scene at the time of the accident. Keep all this information safely because it will be useful information that the car accident attorney can use while filing a compensation claim.

Move the Car

If the teen’s car is safe to drive, you may drive it away after the police have completed their report. If the damage is too great, call a tow truck to move the vehicle. Whatever the condition of the car, get a professional mechanic to perform a thorough evaluation of the car’s condition.

Immediately Inform Your Insurance Company

As soon as it is possible after the accident, get in touch with your insurance provider and give them an honest report of the accident to the best of your ability. Provide all the details they ask for without withholding any information or falsifying any details. Never get into a conversation with the insurance company of the other parties involved in the accident.

Talk to Your Parents About Getting Legal Help

When you get into an accident as a teenager, it can be quite a shocking experience and you are likely to be confused about the further course of action. Inform your parents about the incident and take their help in deciding if you need to contact a lawyer. Never discuss any matter regarding the accident with the other parties or their insurance companies or lawyers without approval from your own legal counsel.

How to Avoid Teen Car Accidents in New York City

Research shows that teenagers new to driving are the most likely to cause teenage car accidents in New York. The lack of enough years of driving experience combined with certain behavioral tendencies in the young makes them more likely to indulge in driving habits that put them at a greater risk of causing an accident.

Data shows that the risk of teen car drivers being involved in a fatal collision is about 300% greater than for adult drivers. These aspects make it vital for parents to pass on a few important tips that teen car drivers must follow to reduce the likelihood of being in an accident.

Never Drive Over the Speed Limit

New York City driving guidelines require drivers to drive at speeds below the limit of 25 mph. Over speeding is one of the most common and yet, totally avoidable causes for road accidents. Driving at a lower speed gives you enough time to react to any unexpected situations on the road and definitely cuts the risk of causing an accident.

Never Drive Under the Influence of Alcohol

Statistics show that one-fourth of all teen car accidents that result in fatalities are caused by underage drinking drivers. Never drive when you have been drinking. Alcohol interferes with your brain function as well as motor coordination and this can prove to be far more dangerous for teen drivers who have yet to perfect their driving reflexes.

Keep a Safe Distance Away from the Vehicle Ahead of You

When you do not leave a safe distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you, there is a greater likelihood of causing a rear-end accident. This becomes even more crucial when weather and road conditions are poor and work against you, making it more difficult to quickly brake. If you find another driver following your car too closely, pull over to a safe place or change lanes to let them pass.

Avoid Using Your Cell Phone When Driving

Talking, texting, and checking social media feeds on your cell phone are all activities that take your focus away from the road. When you’re driving, a moment’s loss of concentration can be enough to cause an accident. So, keep your cell phone away and give all your attention to the road while driving.

Get in Touch With Teenage Car Accident Attorneys in New York

As parents of teen drivers, you must ensure they have enough hours of practice before they take to the road. Have your teen take the necessary driver instructions courses and train under a professional driver if possible, to make sure they are fully equipped to handle your car on the road.

Get them to understand and commit to the habits of safe driving. Set clear rules regarding when and where your teen is allowed to drive and with which passengers. These small details can often be the difference between safe driving experience and a fatal collision.

Despite the best of intentions, it is quite possible that your teen may be involved in an accident at some time. Or perhaps you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident caused by another teen driver. If you find yourselves in such unfortunate circumstances, get in touch with our teenage car accident attorneys in NYC at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP today at 212-344-1000 to schedule a free consultation.

Our competent and skilled lawyers have years of experience dealing with car crashes caused by teen drivers in New York. They will help you get the best expert representation necessary to make sure you get all the compensation you deserve.