Parents can do much to make the 100 deadliest days a lot less deadly. It starts with talking to their teen about the dangers of negligent driving. To find out what forms of negligence are most common among teens, parents can consult the recent Traffic Safety Culture Index, a nationwide survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
In that survey, 72% of respondents aged 16 to 18 admitted to negligent behavior on the road in the past 30 days. Eighty-seven percent admitted to speeding. This was divided into speeding in a residential area, 47%, and on the freeway, 40%. Texting, 35%, red light running, 32%, aggressive driving, 31%, and drowsy driving, 25%, also figured prominently. Seat belts were not used among 17%.
In addition to talking and setting up household driving rules, parents could consider coaching their teens during practice driving sessions. AAA recommends at least 50 hours of this before the 100 deadliest days approach.
Still, even the most well-educated teen can be negligent and cause an accident. Those who are harmed by another’s unwise actions and whose losses cannot be covered by their own insurance provider may file a personal injury claim. The process can be hard to navigate alone, so victims may want legal representation. To build up the case, the lawyer might enlist the help of crash investigators, expert witnesses and other third parties. The lawyer may then proceed to negotiations.