Zimmer, Duncan & Cole

Monitoring and Talking to South Dakota Teen Drivers Can Reduce Risks

When teenagers first get their drivers’ licenses and are out driving on the roadways in South Dakota, they often take unnecessary risks, whether as a result of peer pressure, over-confidence or to show off in front of their friends. Unfortunately, unnecessary risks can cause serious injuries or fatalities. Studies have shown that the number of teen driver car crashes doubles when there is one teenage passenger in the car with an even higher rate when there is more than one teenage passenger.

South Dakota teenage drivers take unnecessary risks that include:

• Speeding
  
• Starting and stopping too fast
  
• Refusing to wear a seatbelt
  
• Driving while intoxicated
  
• Driving at night when drowsy and tired
  

Teens are inexperienced drivers and often lose control of the car when taking these risks and driving recklessly, causing a serious crash involving one or more other vehicles. If this happens, contact a South Dakota personal injury attorney immediately.

However, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is something parents can do to limit the unnecessary risks taken by teen drivers. The study indicated that teenagers drive more safely when they are being monitored. While the study used a device placed in the vehicle that beeped when the teenager drove recklessly, causing the driver to change the risky behavior, the device would not actually work unless the parent and teen driver talk to one another about appropriate driving habits. Having a conversation with your teenage driver about not speeding or driving while intoxicated goes a long way towards making them safer drivers.

Handing over the keys to your new teenage driver is not easy for parents, but monitoring their driving habits and speaking with them about good driving techniques is. If your teenage driver is in an accident, contact a South Dakota personal injury lawyer at Zimmer, Duncan & Cole. Our South Dakota attorneys have experience representing teenage drivers who have been involved in car crashes throughout the state. Call the law office toll free at (888) 733-2992 or complete the contact form on this page. You may also download a copy of the free book The Ultimate Guide to Car and Truck Accident Cases in South Dakota: 7 Deadly Sins That Can Wreck Your Injury Claim, available on our website.