A new survey of teenage drivers indicates some disturbing findings, but not ones that our Atlanta car accident attorneys are unfamiliar with.The survey found that some teenage drivers are learning the most atrocious driving habits from their parents.Those habits include failure to wear seat belts, talking on cell phones while driving, and even driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
The survey, which was conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance and a student youth safety organization called Students against Destructive Decisions, involved more than 1,700 teenagers.These teenagers were surveyed about their driving practices and whether they had witnessed these driving practices among their parents.
It is shocking to note that at least 91% of the teenagers admitted that they had seen their parents talking on cell phones while driving, and 90% self-reported that they did so too.Similar numbers of teenage drivers also reported that they observed their parents speeding while driving, and as a result, approximately 94% of the teenagers also admitted that they drove at excessive speeds.
Even in the case of other destructive practices like texting while driving, failing to wear seat belts, and driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, there was a clear correlation between teenagers indulging in such practices after witnessing their parents doing the same.
The lesson to take home from the survey is this – parents set examples for their children’s driving practices, and the kind of examples provided will determine in part the type of driver your child becomes.Parents must be aware of their responsibilities in setting good driving examples for their teenage children.
Teen motorists are already at a much higher risk of accidents because of a variety of other factors, the most important of which is experience.These drivers are also often more impulsive, and prone to risky behavior like speeding and aggressive driving.Needless to say, teenagers are extremely impressionable, which makes it all the more important that they be exposed to the right examples.