As Graduation Season his here, let’s keep our teen drivers safe!

Every Springtime leads to a spike in fatal auto accidents in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Teen drivers are a leading cause of these fatal accidents. Perhaps it's the smell in the air, prom time, or the excitement of high school graduation, teens are driving distracted at a more alarming pace than ever. It is our duty as parents or caretakers of teen drivers to have a talk about safe driving habits and the grim statistics of fatal auto accidents involving teen drivers in Pennsylvania. This month is National Youth Traffic Safety Month.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDot) 114,627 Pennsylvania auto accidents occurred between 2006 and 2010. Of these PA crashes, 952 involved fatalities. During that same period of time, 3,386 auto accidents in PA involved a teen driver who illegally consumed alcohol.

Factors contributing to the alarming number of fatal teen auto accidents in PA:

Inexperience;

Too many people in the car (distraction);

Cell phone use (distraction);

Speeding and reckless driving;

alcohol, marijuana, and other DUI substances.

The majority of teen auto accidents in Pennsylvania can be eliminated by proper education. Although teens do not ordinarily like to listen, we must instill upon them the danger of not taking safe driving seriously. Every time, we drive on the road, we make an informal agreement or contract with all the other people on the road to drive as safely as possible. Distracted driving is killing many innocent people across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Distracted teen driving is a recipe for disaster. In honor of National Youth Traffic Safety Month, let's reach out to at least one teen driver and have a safety chat with him or her. Your safety chat may save numerous lives.

The Bucks County injury law firm of Saile & Saile LLP represents victims of Pennsylvania and New Jersey auto accidents. We are dedicated to educating the public about safe driving. We have written a guidebook to educate Pennsylvania auto accident victims about the tricks and deceptive practices of auto insurance companies. If you have been injured in a Pennsylvania auto accident, download a FREE copy our Pennsylvania Accident Book.