| Related Links: Top Five Steps You Must Take After an Arkansas, Oklahoma, or Texas Auto Accident |
If there's a teen driver in your home, make sure you speak with them about driving safely. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, teens are at a higher risk of having an Oklahoma car crash during the summer than any other time of the year. They say that the risk of having a car accident can increase because teens are frequently driving to and from summer jobs, as well as to other various social activities.
The state health department's numbers show that approximately 4,600 teens ages 16–18 in 2010 in Oklahoma were injured and 55 died from motor vehicle accidents. Nationally, seven teens die every day from motor vehicle injuries they sustained in the same year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA also says that fatal car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens across the country.
As far as things you can remind your teens about before they get on the road, the state health department says you should be sure to tell them to wear seat belts, drive slower, refuse to drink and drive, stay focused on the road, limit their passengers and to obey their curfew.
On the state level, Gary Thomas, director of the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office said that since implementing the graduated driver license law, the state has seen crash rates going down. In 2011, deaths decreased from 55 to 30. The program gradually phases in driving privileges for new teen drivers as they gain experience behind the wheel.