Did you know that car accidents are the number one cause of deaths among teenagers? Inexperience and youthful indiscretion are major factors.

Teenage drivers also have the highest percentage of crashes involving speeding, single-vehicle crashes, crashes with driver error and the highest vehicle occupancy or number of passengers in the vehicle.

Here are some safe driving tips for teenagers from Albion Agencies and Erie Insurance:

Use your common sense for teenage driving safety – By being a safe driver, your teenager won’t have to pay expensive tickets or additional insurance costs, nor will they have to face the courts as a result of criminal charges related to reckless driving.

Avoid distractions – Teenage driving safety includes not using a cell phone when the car is moving and never attempting to send a text message while driving. Even hands-free calls have been shown to be a major distraction for drivers. You should also avoid eating, applying makeup or changing a CD or songs on an MP3 player while driving.

Always be courteous:

• Don’t blind other drivers with your auto’s high beams.
• Be patient and considerate of others.
• Look before backing out of a parking space or entering traffic.

Limit the number of teen passengers – Studies on teenage driving safety show that a young drivers’ crash risk increases significantly with each teenage passenger. Many state laws restrict the number of passengers a teenager is allowed to transport. Fewer passengers is always safer.

Wear your seatbelt – It’s a safety issue, but wearing your seat belt is also the law in most states and it will dramatically reduce your chances of receiving a head injury or being thrown from your vehicle if you are involved in an accident. Make sure your passengers  buckle up too.

Don’t drink or take drugs and drive – When you drink, even a small amount of alcohol can affect you. When you drink and drive, you endanger yourself and others.

Related posts:

• Should your teenagers have their own insurance?
• Online defensive driving courses
• 9 ideas for saving on your auto insurance

Independent agents have access to more companies with a bigger variety of rating and payment plans.  Check us out at www.albionagencies.com, or get in touch with me for more information.

The information in this post is general in nature, and geared toward insurance conditions in Western New York.  As always, you should speak with an insurance adviser to help you decide your specific insurance needs.