Time Matters When Keeping Your Teen Safe on the Road

Seth Smiley here from the Smiley Law Firm with today’s edition of Parents of Teen Drivers. Today we are discussing an important topic, and it is all about the effect the time of day and time of year has on how dangerous it is to drive. Percentages change the likelihood of you or your teen driver getting into an auto accident depending on the time. There is a lot of data available, and it shows that rush hour between 5 pm and 7 pm is the most dangerous time to be on the road. Rush hour is dangerous because people are fatigued, roads are congested, leading to impatience, and people pay less attention. Fatality rates are also higher between midnight and 4 am, so a curfew might be in order to stop your teen from driving between those times.

Saturday is the most dangerous day of the week to drive. It might be due to Friday night turning into Saturday morning and people being out partying and driving home in an impaired state. Most folks are usually off work on Saturday, so spend more time driving and might be in a relaxed state and not correctly concentrating. Whatever the full reason is, fatalities for drivers are double on Saturday compared to any other day. August is statistically the most dangerous month to drive, closely followed by June and July. Some publications out there refer to this period as the 100 deadliest days of the year. It is due to the kids being out and about and living it up without proper care and attention. The data is real, and it is a fact that it is more dangerous for teens to be on the road during these periods.

Also, the absolute worst day of the year is the 4th of July. When I was younger, my parents would tell me, ” There’s a lot of people out, and they’re drinking, and they’re having a good time, so try not to be out on the roads today.” It might not be something that your teen does that causes an accident; others might be impaired and at fault. Another busy time is Thanksgiving day weekend when we have that long break, and a lot of people travel. These are the types of things you need to be cognitive of and teach your teen. Avoid the late nights, and rush hours, to be careful during the summer months and public holidays. It will help lessen the chances of getting into an accident.

If you have any questions or points you would like me to look at, please comment below. If you have any things you would like me to research and do a video about, please ping me, and I will get back to you.

Thank you.