Preventing Georgia Auto Accidents During the Prom & Graduation Season

It is prom and graduation season in Georgia, and along with all of the fun that teenagers can have comes a high degree of danger from teens that drive after they have been drinking or staying out late.

The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that about 5,000 teens are injured and fifty are killed during a typical prom or graduation weekend. This means that parents should be vigilant about monitoring their adolescents during this traditional season of celebration for high school age drivers.

While peer pressure plays a big part in why teens drive recklessly, the availability of alcohol and the pressure to drink contributes to the number of teen auto accidents that occur in Atlanta each year during the prom and graduation season. Distracted driving also accounts for many teen driving-related injuries and deaths. With teens riding in groups to these events, it is easier to get distracted.

There are steps that parents can take to help prevent teen auto accidents in Atlanta on prom or graduation night:

• You should impose a limit to the number of passengers that your teen can transport in the car to these events. It is also a good idea to discuss the risk associated with distracted driving.
• Another good option is to pay for a limo or driver to transport your teen to the event. You can communicate to the driver where you would like them taken and when you want them picked up.
• A parent should insist that their teens wear seat belts. You cannot be in the car with them all the time. Many teenagers do not really understand how significantly a seat belt can impact the injuries suffered in a Georgia car accident. You should let your teenager know that 70% of teens killed in auto accidents during these types of weekends are not wearing seat belts.
• It is important to know what the plan is for the evening. A parent should be clear on where his or her teen will be before the event, during the event and after the event. Parents should also know who is going to be driving if their teen will not be behind the wheel and ensure there is a plan for a designated driver. A parent should also verify who the parent is that will be chaperoning the event and obtain contact information for the chaperone and venue where the event will be hosted.
• You should also have your teen check in with you throughout the evening with the use of their cell phone though not while they are driving. Parents should let their teen know that they are available to be a designated driver if needed.
• A parent should get contact information for those who will be accompanying their teen to the event.
• Discuss drinking, especially underage drinking, and the risks of being in the company of others who are drinking even if your child is not.
• An effective technique is to show your teen that you trust him or her by devising a set of rules that you both agree on and can commit to follow.

If your teenager is injured or killed in an Atlanta or Georgia auto accident related to drunk driving, it is important to consult as soon as possible with an experienced Atlanta auto accident attorney to investigate the incident, preserve evidence and identify all responsible drivers who played a role in causing the serious Georgia car accident.

If your teen is seriously injured or suffers wrongful death in an auto accident in Atlanta or elsewhere throughout Georgia or the Southeast, our Atlanta car accident lawyers will work in your best interests to help you obtain the compensation that your child deserves. Our experienced Atlanta auto accident lawyers are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.