Can You Change Louisiana Teens’ Attitude To Risk?

Louisiana teens have heard it a thousand times. Parents, teachers and officials unite in a relentless effort to hammer the same message into their heads over and over: drive safely, don't drink and drive, fasten your seatbelt.

All this has not prevented Louisiana traffic accidents from causing of 44 percent of all teenage fatalities. What is wrong with teens?

Do teens have a brain problem?

As it is, researchers studying the development of the brain during adolescence do not believe there is a problem; they only think that all the different brain systems mature at different times. Even though adolescents are perfectly capable of intellectually understanding the risks involved in driving a car, they may lack the brain development to restrain impulses and risky behavior, a brain system researchers believe will only be fully mature at the age of 25.

What should parents do?

Parents need to become more involved. The first 500 miles a teen drives are the deadliest, during which they are ten times more likely to crash than an adult.

Parents should continue to drive with their teenager long after they have earned their license. If you see that your son or daughter makes bad decisions, does not anticipate dangers, or hesitates and is nervous, think of what will happen when four or five friends are in the car, with loud music on and talking on cell phones.

Set restrictions on your teen's driving privileges, meet with their friends' parents to be on the same page, and practice driving with them as much as you can. Put them behind the wheel each time you travel with them and keep pointing out danger zones and situations.

Each hour they practice with an adult reduces the risks of accidents; do not hesitate to offer them more driving lessons if you don't have enough time to do it yourself.

If you have been hurt in a car, truck, motorcycle or bicycle accident caused by someone else, contact the New Orleans accident attorneys of the Young Firm for a FREE discussion of your case. Order now our FREE lawyer book, "A Guide To Steering Through a Serious Vehicle Accident in Louisiana".