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Helping Teens and Seniors Avoid Collisions in Dallas

Both teens and seniors are the top two age groups that get into the most collisions. In fact, statistics show that teenagers and older drivers are involved in many more crashes and high­way fatalities than other age groups. Let’s take a look at some tips on how to help your teens and seniors avoid collisions in Dallas.

4 Ways Parents Can Help Their Teen Driver Avoid a Collision

Sadly, more than 10,000 teenagers in Texas are killed or injured each year in car crashes, says AAA. If you have a teen that has just gotten their license, we know as parents it can be daunting to watch them drive off into the sunset. But with that trepidation comes a sense of calm and reassurance on your part knowing they are independent and don’t need you to cart them around everywhere.

That independence comes with a lot of risk, of course, as they navigate the roadways on their own for the first time. Sometimes, accidents occur that require body repair work. As long as they are OK, you can focus on fixing the resulting damage to their vehicle, which can get costly and inconvenient.

Parents, heed these tips on how to help your novice teen driver avoid an accident in Dallas.

1.     Ease Their Anxiety

Your teen driver is probably very excited to get behind the wheel and take off on their own. But what they may not tell you is how anxious they feel about it at the same time. Let them know you recognize the stress that comes with driving, which increases the likelihood of crashes, especially on busy roads.

Tell them to pull over when safe and allow tailgating cars and other traffic to go around them so they don’t feel rushed. Pressure leads to rash decisions, which can have dire consequences.

2.     Warn About the Dangers of Smart Phones

While no one should use the phone when driving, this especially goes for teens. That’s because cell phone use is a top cause of distracted driving crashes. Tell them to refrain from using their phone when on the road, even for using hands-free options. That’s because their attention can still be split between talking and driving. They should put their phone in the glove compartment or back seat, or only use a smartphone for GPS purposes only.

3. Limit Night Time Driving

Unless your teen’s job requires it, you would be wise to limit night driving if possible, as many fatal accidents occur when darkness descends. Not only is it more difficult to see at night, their reaction time may be slower. It’s also easier to fall asleep at the wheel at night time. They should not drive unsupervised after 10 p.m. Perhaps your state even has a curfew for new drivers, whereby they can’t drive by themselves between midnight and 5 a.m.

4.     Limit the Amount of Passengers

Too many teens in a car is dangerous, especially with all the distractions, music and yelling going on. The CDC says the mere presence of teen passengers in a vehicle boosts the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. That risk is enhanced even more with every additional teen passenger that’s in the car. Some states don’t allow new drivers to drive anyone other than a family member during the first six months of having a license.

Hopefully these suggestions help increase the safety of your new teen driver!

How to Converse With Seniors About Unsafe Driving

Having a conversation with your senior loved one, such as an aging parent, is never easy. But it’s a conversation that has to take place as they get older, especially if they have been getting into frequent accidents that require expensive body repair. Or perhaps they’re getting lost more frequently.

Whatever the case, it can be tough talking to your loved one about their driving abilities. For many, the ability to drive equals independence, so it can be difficult for them to give up that freedom after having it for so many decades. But even though they may go slow on the roads and wear their seat belts, the risk of fatality from a collision does increase with age, says Medicare.

The elderly, especially as they reach their 80s, are more fragile, frail and vulnerable to injury that arises from a collision. Then when you add in medical conditions such as arthritis or dementia, along with medication usage, the risk of accidents increases even more.

When to Have the “Conversation”

Noticing a decline in your loved one’s driving abilities? You may want to initiate a conversation if they:

  • Have been in one or more car accidents recently
  • Have had a close call
  • Have run a red light or stop sign
  • Received a driving violation ticket
  • Are starting to speed or drive more slowly
  • Are experiencing signs of memory loss
  • Are taking medications that could impair driving, such as narcotics, anti-anxiety drugs, or sleeping pills
  • Have problems seeing or hearing
  • Have a medical condition such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, muscular degeneration, or sleep apnea

Oftentimes, you may feel the time is right for a conversation if you just do not feel safe as their passenger any longer. As an adult child having this talk with your aging parent, this can be quite intimidating. But you can make things easier if you heed these helpful tips.

Decide Who Will Initiate the Conversation

Choosing the right person to initiate the conversation can make all the difference. Studies show that married drivers want to hear from their spouses first about driving concerns. Drivers who live alone prefer to talk about these concerns with their adult children, a doctor or close friend.

Be Supportive

Above all, be supportive when having the conversation so they don’t feel lectured to or attacked. Let them know you’re only concerned about their safety and that of others on the road.

Plan Ahead

To avoid an awkward confrontation, don’t hold an intervention with the whole family. This will put them on the defensive. Pick a time when they feel the most relaxed, perhaps after lunch when they’ve eaten a good meal but before sundowning hits in the afternoon.

Give Them Reasons

Be prepared to offer reasons why they shouldn’t drive any longer. Cite recent physical changes, health conditions, sleep problems, or new medications and explain how those things can all impair driving.

Offer Alternatives

If they are worried about keeping up with their lifestyle, make suggestions on how you can accommodate those needs. Perhaps you or a sibling, close friend or a combination of many people can transport them back and forth from doctor appointments, coffee with friends, hair appointments, or church services. Come up with a schedule to ensure there are no gaps in coverage.

If, after assessing their driving abilities, you have all come to the conclusion that limited driving would be an option for now, you may consider:

  • Avoiding driving in bad weather or at night
  • Driving in familiar places only, perhaps within a few miles of home
  • Avoiding highways or busy main roads
  • Limiting distractions

Suggest a Driving Test

We all have to take a driver’s test when we’re 16. Why not when we’re 70? It makes sense. You may want to suggest they take a driver’s test to reaffirm their skills. Actually, in some states, it’s a law that drivers over the age of 75 must take a road test when renewing their license. But if you don’t live in one of those states, sign them up for a skills evaluation by a driving instructor or get a clinical assessment by an occupational therapist. This will help determine a baseline and pinpoint possible causes of driving ability decline.

 

Contact Top Tier Auto Body

Of course, we all want everyone to be safe. But in the unfortunate event your teens or your aging parents have been in an accident that requires body work, contact us to schedule an appointment at 469-468-9991 or fill out our online form.

 

 

 

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