Southeast Oklahoma Personal Injury Law Blog

Oklahoma parents may not be aware that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of accidental deaths for teens in the United States. A study that was published in the journal Transportation Research, however, found that supplemental risk reduction programs could increase young and new motorists' awareness regarding the dangers of risky driving.

The study focused on the Texas Reality Education for Drivers program. The participants included 21 teen drivers who were referred to the program by a parent, community groups, a court or a school administrator. At the beginning of the RED program, the participants filled out a questionnaire that reported the most risky behaviors that were exhibited while driving. They then completed the six-hour program, which involved talks with nurses and other health care staff, videos and activities involving coming up with a safe driving plan.

Oklahoma motorists may be interested to know that some modern safety add-ons for vehicles have been shown to help reduce crashes, especially backup accidents. A report states that rear automatic brakes can lower the chance for backup crashes by 62 percent. That number becomes 78 percent if the brakes are combined with rearview cameras and backup warning sensors.

In a study that tested the effectiveness of these three safety features, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave superior ratings to two automobile models -- the 2017 Subaru Outback and Cadillac XT5 SUV. Four vehicles with the combined safety tech garnered advanced ratings for their ability to avoid collisions and significantly reduce vehicle speeds. However, one vehicle failed to brake automatically and collided with a dummy automobile parked at an angle.

Most teen drivers in Oklahoma are excited about the idea of being behind the wheel on their own after they get their full license. However, a joint study by the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and Virginia Tech University suggests first-time drivers are more likely to be involved in a crash or accident during their first few months as a new driver. Using special equipment and software, researchers evaluated nearly a hundred teens from the period when they first received their learner's permit to a year after they got their license.

The study showed that teens are eight times more likely to be involved with car accidents or near-miss collisions during their first three months of driving without adult supervision. This is in comparison to the previous three months, when teens were required to have an adult in the vehicle. Specifically, unsupervised teen drivers are more likely to accelerate quickly, brake abruptly or overextend on turns. These risky behaviors did eventually decrease, although the instances of crashes did not.

You can be the safest driver on the road, but that doesn't mean you'll never be part of a car accident.

Just when you think everything is going as planned, another driver makes a mistake that puts you in a difficult and dangerous position.