Before you hand over the keys to the family car, talk to your teen about the serious consequences of texting and driving. Personal injury lawyers in New Jersey know that texting and driving or any cell phone in the car can lead to serious, and even lethal, accidents. Recent commercials showing the last few words of a texter and the fact that they died in an auto accident can be chilling to any parent.

What to discuss with your teenager about distracted driving

The Official U.S. Government Website for Distracted Driving, Distraction.gov, reports that cell phone use is responsible for 18 percent of all distracted driving accidents. In 2010, 3,092 fatalities resulted from distracted driving accidents. Nearly half a million people sustained injuries because of those accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As parents, you should:

• Set strict rules about the use of the phone when your teen is driving; even with a hands-free app it can be a huge risk
• Sign a parent-teen driving agreement about what is and is not acceptable driving behavior
• Insist on seat belt use every time he or she drives
• Discuss the need to avoid other distracted driving-related risks, like speeding, drunk driving and adjusting the music

Teenagers are inexperienced, unskilled drivers, and may lack the kind of experience necessary to identify accident hazards on the road. New Jersey personal injury lawyers know teens are much more prone to peer pressure and, therefore, more susceptible to dangerous driving practices.

Call the Brown, Novick & McKinley if you or a loved one is a victim of a distracted driving auto accident and suffered injury. The firm offers free consultations.