EL PASO, TX--(Marketwired - Jun 13, 2013) - The highly acclaimed legal professional Michael J. Gopin applauds the tips outlined in a recent article of the Carroll County Times, mainly regarding the safety precautions high school students should adopt before getting on the road this summer. Tim Hopkins, a State Farm agent, discusses practical ways parents can make a difference in the lives of their first-time drivers, preventing auto accidents over summer vacation.
Tim Hopkins approaches the safety tips by first mentioning the most dangerous times for teens to drive, which is inevitably in their first year on the road. "During this time, teens are almost 10 times more likely to be in a crash," he said. Apart from this danger, he describes another potentially troublesome time. "We see a lot of car crashes involving teens during the summer. According to Students Against Destructive Decisions research, teens spend 44 percent more hours driving each week in the summer than during the school year."
Michael J. Gopin weighs in on the matter. "Unfortunately, summer is a prime season for teen auto accidents. While it's true that October is the month with the highest number of injury or collision claims for young teen drivers, summer is another vulnerable time for first time drivers, particularly because they are driving much more at various times of the day," he said.
The article notes necessary precautions parents can encourage their teens to adhere to in a supportive way. Tim Hopkins declares that teens who say their parents set rules are half as likely to end up in a car accident as those who have identified their parents as less involved. "It's important parents talk to their teens and set rules regarding their driving. These conversations should be positive and supportive in tone and shouldn't stop when the teen gets his or her license. Topics can include different driving situations or the dangers of drinking and driving and distracted driving."
The legal professional responds to his sentiment of gentleness and intentionality. "Parents need to approach safety conversations sensitively, providing guidelines and boundaries without completely limiting their freedoms," he said. "These conversations need to continue well past when a teen receives his or her license. They also need to abide by their state's Graduated Driver's License programs. These restrictions slowly welcome driving privileges like driving at night and with other passengers because teens need to be introduced to them after gaining more experience on the road."