Driving Responsibility

Driving is an incredible responsibility and privilege. Many people treat driving as a right of passage, ignoring the huge responsibility it is. Driving is not a right, but a privilege that can be taken away if abused. It is important to always remember the dangers and risks that are associated with driving. Young drivers don’t always take the time to foresee the dangers and risks.

Defensive Driving

The responsibility of driving is not one to be taken lightly. When operating a vehicle, you must always act with caution and attention to your surroundings. Driving with the idea that anything can happen at any time is the basis of defensive driving. In operating your vehicle with attention and care you are not only protecting yourself but all others around you from danger. Learn more about defensive driving in this article from Shell.

Young Drivers And Responsibility

Young drivers must be taught how to drive in a responsible and safe manner. Teens learning how to drive often do not fully grasp the responsibility of driving. They might feel powerful or even invincible behind the wheel. Motor vehicle accidents are the second highest cause of death for teens in the United States. Distracted driving, driving under the influence, as well as inexperience all factor into this unfortunate statistic. While it may be tempting for young drivers to engage in a little ‘fun’ while driving, the consequences can be deadly. It is important for young drivers to be taught responsibility and the risks of unsafe driving behavior before it is too late.

Young Driver Kills 4 of His Friends 

A 17-year-old driver in Illinois was operating a vehicle with five of his friends as passengers. The young driver attempted to “jump” a local hill while operating the vehicle, causing it to become airborne. This stunt went horribly wrong. The driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree hard enough to break the SUV in half. Two passengers died at the scene. The others were rushed to the hospital and treated but sadly two additional passengers did not survive. The crash left behind two survivors – the driver and one passenger.

Actions That Caused The Crash

A huge majority of vehicle crashes can be avoided. In this situation, the driver made multiple bad decisions that led to this single-vehicle crash.

Speeding – the driver increased his speed on the neighborhood street.

Vehicle Jump – a vehicle jump is dangerous under professionally-controlled conditions. Trying to attempt a jump on a neighborhood street with a personal vehicle puts anyone nearby at risk for harm.

Loss Of Control – this attempt to jump is intended to take all 4 wheels off the road. If no wheels are touching the road, there is no control over the vehicle.

Lack Of Responsibility

While it was not the driver’s intention to kill his friends, his actions demonstrate a lack of responsibility. If this driver had driven responsibly, his friends would still be alive today. What seemed like a harmless bit of fun turned deadly.

Discuss Driving Responsibility

When teenagers are together in groups it is common for them to become rowdy and push limits. When operating a motor vehicle, no amount of joking around is okay, even if it is meant to be innocent. Driving is an incredible and serious responsibility. Even a small mistake can cause serious harm.

Discuss driving safety and responsibility with younger drivers. If your child is riding with a teenage driver, talk to your child about safety and responsibility. Travelers Insurance has put together this great article on its website for parents who aren’t sure how to talk to their teen about driving safety.

Far too many lives are lost every year due to irresponsible mistakes while driving. Talking to young drivers about responsibility can save thousands of lives. These four young teens did not have to die that day, and hopefully, this experience inspires others to avoid the same mistakes.

Car Crash Injury Lawyer

If you or your child are injured by a teenage driver, you deserve fair compensation for your injuries. Before you give a statement to the at-fault driver’s insurance, talk to a local injury attorney. An attorney can help you get the money you deserve.

At Kane & Silverman, we help people injured by other drivers. We are on your side and we are here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation with an injury attorney.