7,386 teenagers between the ages of 16-20 were killed in car accidents in 2004.

Did you know?

• A teenager's first 500 miles of driving are the most dangerous. During that time, teens are 10 times more likely to crash than an adult.
• Two-thirds of the teenagers who died in car accidents last year were not wearing seat belts.
• For every 10 "close calls" in a car, there's one car accident.
• 16-year-olds crash at a rate that's nearly one and a half times as high as 17-year-olds.
• 15 to 20-year-olds make up 7 percent of licensed drivers, but suffer 14 percent of fatalities and 20 percent of all reported collisions.
• 53 percent of teen driver deaths occur on weekends.
• Of all fatal teen car accidents, one-third involve speed related collisions and one-quarter involve the use of alcohol.

Teen Car Accident Prevention/Parents Can Help

• Limit cell phone use.
• Choose safe vehicles.
• Make sure your teenage driver knows to be careful when backing up in that SUV or mini-van; even with use of rear view and side view mirrors, there is a big blind spot to the rear of the vehicle, where a child might be standing as your son or daughter backs out of the driveway.
• Be a good role model. Always wear your seatbelt, never use your cell phone while driving, and don't be an aggressive driver.
• Train teens for poor weather and other adverse driving conditions.
• Discuss the importance of abstaining from alcohol and drugs, especially while operating a vehicle.
• Insist that your teen wear a seatbelt.
• Remind your teen that a car can be a weapon and driving is a privilege, not a right. Even though your teen may be legally eligible to drive, you can still decide if your teen is ready for the challenge.
• Restrict night and weekend driving. Teen car accidents are more frequent after 11 p.m. on weekdays and after midnight on weekends.
• Make sure your teen knows that it's okay to call you if he/she needs a ride home. Tell your teen that you won't be angry or upset, no matter what.
• Drive with your teen. You can discover weaknesses behind the wheel and offer guidance.
• Restrict the number of passengers in your teen's car. The more friends your teen is carrying, the greater the risk of an accident.
• Limit your teen's driving during peak accident season (June through Labor Day weekend).

Remember, just because your teen has been in a car accident it does not mean that the car accident was your teen's fault. Contact Villari, Brandes & Kline now so we can determine if the accident was the fault of another.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)