Every driver should exercise caution

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, June 8, 2016

A new national report suggests that teens increasingly use social media and text while driving, all too often with dangerous consequences.

Nearly 60 percent of crashes involving teen drivers involve some form of distraction, according to a report issued last week by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, and in the 100 days after Memorial Day, teen crashes rise so dramatically that AAA has given those fair-weather months a name: the “100 Deadliest Days.”

The recent report comes on the heels of the story that grabbed headlines where a suburban Atlanta teen reportedly used social media’s Snapchat to take photos while driving her dad’s car in excess of 113 miles per hour, crashing into another driver who sustained brain injuries resulting from the accident.

Snapchat has a filter that allows users to record their speed of travel, and she wanted to see how fast she could go, according to news reports.

According to AAA, teen drivers are disproportionally involved in more fatal crashes where distracted driving is a factor.

An average of 1,000 people per year have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers during the summer months in the past five years, the report said.

The report was released during peak driving season, just as many teens are out of school for the summer and will more likely take to the road, many with limited experience behind the wheel, not to mention the impact of distracted driving.

According to the AAA report, in almost 60 percent of teen crashes, the driver was distracted by something in the six seconds leading up to the crashes.

Sadly, teens are not the only ones taking these kinds of risks behind the wheel. Adults are to blame as well, setting a poor example for young people to follow.

While many states, Georgia included, have laws against texting and driving, we must all remember, too, that no legislation can take the place of our own personal responsibility behind the wheel.

Adults can’t reinforce the message if they don’t take heed themselves.

Every driver should exercise caution, but younger less experienced drivers in particular. Parents and other adults must continue driving the message home and set a strong example. Far too many lives are being impacted by the disregard of the potential consequences.