From the initial expense to purchase and the gas for fuel and maintenance to learning how to drive in a safe, legal manner, it is easy to see how driving can become overwhelming. Considering drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 have a higher risk of being in a vehicle accident, teaching your teen to drive in a safe, legal manner is imperative. Unfortunately, even with proper education and knowledge, your teen may be involved in an automobile accident. An automobile accident may induce feelings of fear and panic in your teen, but they must understand the importance of properly handling the situation. When your teen begins to drive on their own, teaching them what NOT to do after an accident is smart for preventing serious injury and severe legal ramifications.
Panic
After the accident occurs, your teen driver should remain calm and avoid panicking. This can be difficult, since adrenaline kicks in, causing your teen to feel scared and anxious. In many situations, teen drivers may feel the urge to leave the scene of the accident in hopes of saving themselves from getting in trouble. Whether the accident is a minor or major one, fleeing the scene is a serious offense, which can lead to legal consequences.
Be sure your teen driver understands how panicking and fleeing the accident scene may result in the following legal issues:
- Misdemeanor – If the accident has caused property damage, but no injuries, your teen may be charged with a misdemeanor for leaving the scene. Misdemeanors charges will require expensive legal and court fees.
- Felony – Leaving the scene of an accident where there were injuries to pedestrians, passengers, or individuals in other vehicles may result in a felony charge. Felony hit and run charges are not only expensive to handle legally, but they can also lead to incarceration for your teen in a juvenile facility.
Of course, each state has its own legal ramifications for leaving the accident scene, but teaching your teen driver the risks is smart for ensuring they remain calm.
Assume
Minor automobile accidents may only seem to cause cosmetic damage to vehicles or other property. However, your teen and others involved may have underlying injuries that require immediate medical attention. Unfortunately, your teen may assume they and others involved in the accident are physically okay. Make sure your teen does not assume there are no injuries and that they understand contacting emergency services immediately is essential.
Your teen should contact 911 after the accident, no matter how much damage is done to vehicles and surrounding property. Internal bleeding and concussions may not show immediate physical signs after the accident, but they can become serious medical conditions later. In addition, the signs and symptoms of whiplash may not display themselves until up to 24 hours after the accident.
By contacting emergency personnel, paramedics will be able to examine each person involved in the accident to ensure there are no underlying, invisible medical issues to address.
Admit
Due to inexperience, your teen driver may believe they did something to cause the accident. In some situations, this may be true, since many teen drivers lack the responsibility and discipline to drive without speeding, texting, or socializing. However, your teen should NEVER admit fault, since the other parties involved may be the actual cause of the accident.
If your teen blames themselves for causing the accident, other people involved, and the police who arrive at the scene, will document this admission to use later. Your teen driver's admission may lead to expensive traffic violations and insurance claims without any professional research or investigation. Admitting blame for the accident before police perform investigations will lead to possible unnecessary charges against your teen driver.
Driving may be a rite of passage for your child, but lack of education and experience can lead to dangerous accidents and costly legal battles. By teaching your teen driver what NOT to do after an accident, you can protect your teen, others involved in the accident, and your finances. You may also want to hire a car crash attorney to help with the case if your child is involved in an accident. You can click here for info about experienced attorneys in your area.
