Teen drivers in Illinois should be careful about letting in passengers, especially if they have obtained their license only recently. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, just one peer passenger can raise the risk for a car crash by 44% for teen drivers.
Parents should be aware of this, too, and come to an agreement with their teens. For example, they could agree that their teen will not allow any young passengers in the car for the first six months after obtaining a license. If it can be extended to one year, teens will be even more experienced and ready to have passengers in the car.
On the other hand, parents should not make an exception for siblings because they can be more distracting to teen drivers than their friends are. Younger siblings, after all, know what buttons to push and can cause their older sibling to drive erratically out of anger or excitement.
Experts also recommend that parents set limits on when their teens can ride with their friends. Parents can give approval or disapproval after considering factors like how long the friend has been a licensed driver, where they are going, how far away it is and whether they will be traveling at night. Reduced visibility and increased fatigue make night driving risky for teen drivers.
Those who are injured at the hands of a distracted driver may want to consult a personal injury lawyer about whether they are eligible for compensation. To achieve a fair amount in damages, victims can file a claim against the other side’s auto insurance company. Actually negotiating for a settlement can be hard, but the lawyer may handle the insurance company’s aggressive tactics. Crash investigators might also help by gathering evidence against the defendant.