The legal drinking limit of 21 has saved quite a few lives since it was set into law in 1984 and drunk driving laws and patrols have decreased the number of incidents quite a bit. But where legislation fails parenting can fill the gap substantially.

Why teens drink and drive:

Peer pressure is the most common explanation for any teenage behavior. Out of the simple desire to fit in teens will wear certain clothes, listen to certain music, partake in specific activities and even experiment with drugs and alcohol. This peer pressure can even lead them to drive while intoxicated simply to get their friends a midnight snack.

The invincibility that teens feel can also trigger unsafe behavior. Teens often feel as though nothing bad can touch them- they are immortal in a way. In spite of seeing all of the car accidents and deaths to other teens practicing unsafe habits- they still engage in destructive behavior.

Teens may also drive after drinking out of fear of being caught—they are afraid of their parent’s wrath and would rather risk the drive than call and confess their illegal actions.

Protecting your teen from drunk driving can be as simple as talking to them about the hazards. Statistics show that teens whose parents talked to them about alcohol are far less likely to consume alcohol at a young age.

Discuss your opinions

Alcohol and drug discussions should start early on in your child’s life. Children are constantly exposed to representations of drug and alcohol use on TV and the media and can become dumb to the true nature of these drugs. If you start the conversation and discuss your opinions on drugs and alcohol early on your child will be raised knowing the expectations and save yourself from a senseless act of rebellion later on. The adage does stick though—better late than never. So even if your child is in their teens you should start the conversation.

Set Rules

Rules and consequences for breaking them are vital to protecting your teen from drinking and driving themselves and being in danger of others driving intoxicated. According to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol’s alcohol studies teens are less likely to use and abuse alcohol if there are set rules and consequences in place for doing so.

Tips for making rules:

Rules and expectations –Discuss your rules and consequences in advance—make sure your teen knows all these before they hit the road
Consistency : be consistent in enforcing the rules- always follow through with the consequences
Checking in- set a time for your teen to check in when they are away
Know the friend’s parents- keep in contact with the friends parents.

When your child is attending a party, talk to the parents hosting and offer to provide snacks or supervision

Make sure your child can leave- Ensure that it is easy for your teen to leave a party where alcohol is present. If they are riding with a friend make sure they are comfortable calling home for a ride back

Listen to your intuition- if you have a gut feeling something is wrong- talk to your teen

Reduce the Risk

As parents we like to think our children are trustworthy, but realistically teens are not always honest and can bend the truth on more than one occasion to get their way. There are steps you can take to reduce the chance of dishonesty and having your child involved in a drunk driving accident.

Ask questions- Whenever your teen ventures out make sure you ask questions- who will you be with, what are you doing, when will you be home, where exactly will you be and how are you getting there and home.

Prevent house parties- Though you hate to think your children would throw a party in your house it is always a distinct possibility when you leave for a weekend get-away. Preventing parties is easy through a proactive method-  when you leave town have a trust adult watching the house or your teen. You teen can stay with a relative or trusted friend or a neighbor can keep an eye on the house while you’re away.

Check in- Call and verify the plans before your teen heads out… Call the parents and make sure what is said to be going on is actually happening.

Contract for Life- Students Against Distracted Decisions (SADD) has produced a contract for life which both teens and parents sign. The contract is if your teen is at a party with alcohol or they are drunk they can call and be picked up by you and the conversation will wait until a later time with both sides have calmed/sobered up.

Have the Talk

Though talking to your teen about drunk driving can be awkward it is the best way to help prevent your child from being involved in a fatal drunk driving crash. Teens raised with a strong no-use message are far less likely to consume alcohol compared to those who never had the discussion. The talk, however, should not only be a one-time deal…it should be a conversation started at a young age and continued thorough-out their adolescence.

You should share your views and opinions on drugs and alcohol at the young age and then later evolve the discussion to address the reasons why when they are able to understand a little better. Presenting the facts and statistics is very important when your child enters their tweens and teens and there are many resources available on the internet to help you with this.

Resource to Help you Start the Conversation
Drunk Driving Poem – This poem can help make your teen understand that not only is it dangerous for them to drive drunk they have to watch out for other drunk drivers.
Jacqui Saburido Story – Jacqui Saburido was mutilated and lost two friends from a drunk driving accident. The drunk teen driver suffered little injury and this video also shows his life in prison and how he pays for his actions every day.

Teen Drinking Statistics Video- This video contains shocking statistics on teens drinking and driving

Teen car accidents occur so frequently because of a few different factors. The most common problem among teenagers is inexperience. Through experience we become adapted to the roads, driving in various conditions and become familiar with our cars. Even experienced drivers take a little bit to adjust to a new car- for teens this adjusting period takes a little longer. Another curveball thrown at parents teaching their teens to drive is the invincibility mentality. Teens view themselves as indestructible and almost immortal—they realize the inherent dangers, but rationalize that it will never happen to them. Reckless behavior often accompanies this invincibility mentality- speeding, racing and other types of reckless driving ensue. These may appear to be juvenile habits that age will cure- but there are steps you can take as a parent to curtail this reckless behavior.

1.    Safety 101

o   Drivers Education: Drivers education courses are required by law in Washington State, but not all courses are created equal. School drivers education programs are extremely convenient, but they only teach the basics. Instead, enroll your teen in a defensive driving school that goes beyond starting the ignition and turning no the windshield wipers. Defensive driving courses teach students hand on how to deal with and avoid the sticky situations the road will throw at them such as adverse weather conditions and other unsafe drivers on the road. Students graduating from these courses have significantly fewer accident incidents than those who took regular courses.

o   Buckle Up: Seat belts are required throughout the United States and save thousands of lives every single year. In spite of the legal requirement a lot of teens get in the car without a proper restraint. 60% of the teenagers killed in auto accidents were not wearing a seat belt. Teaching your children to wear seat belts from an early age is essential to the use of a seat belt later on. Engraining this into your child’s head from an early age will make it second nature to them when they take to the road alone.

o   What to Drive?!: Though I understand the desire for parents to buy their teen a brand new SUV or sports car with the newest and greatest safety features this is not a good idea. Sure you may figure your child will drive safer and take better care of a nice car—the reverse actually happens. You give a teen speed and they will want to test it and SUV’s are prone to flipping making them a terrible choice as a first car. Instead, pick a used vehicle with a good safety record and a reliable history. Most importantly- make sure the vehicle has been maintained.

o   Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance!: Proper fluid changes, tune ups and tire rotation are essential to ensuring your teens safety. Teens cannot tell when something is wrong with their car- noticing odd sounds, smells and feelings come with experience so keeping everything in good hape is important.

2.    Distracted Driving- Distracted driving continues to plague the roads and teenagers are particularly prone to being distracted behind the wheel. Here are some tips to limit your child’s distractions.

o   No Cell Phones: Maintain a no cell phone policy in the car for all drivers. Parents have been found in recent studies to be more guilty than teens of texting and driving. Teens will take hypocrisy as an excuse to engage in texting/talking themselves so it is important that everyone as a family follows this rule.

o   Passenger Limit: Teens often have accidents when they are simply distracted by other teen passengers which is why most states have laws restricting the number of passengers inexperienced drivers can carry. In addition to this being a legal rule, make it a house rule as well.

3.    Eyes on the Road

o   Observing the environment- help point out road hazards whenever you drive with your teen things such as…

§  The traffic ahead- Limiting your vision to the car in front of you limits what you can prepare for. If you watch the cars 3 or 4 lengths ahead you are able to more easily adjust to changes in pace etc.

§  Critters on shoulder- watching for deer, elk or cattle is important in rural areas. If it is an area known to have a lot larger animals prone to ending up as road kill point it out to the young driver. Paying close attention to the shoulder of the road at night becomes even more important as animals are even more likely to jump out in the roadway. Also teach your teen the proper way to deal with smaller animals—driving in a straight line fares best for both the driver and the critter.

o   Blind Spots: Make sure your teen is always checking blind spots before changing lanes- this should be something you, as a parent, check for every time you ride with them.

o   Using the Mirrors: Many adults fail to use their mirrors as often as they should to monitor traffic- make sure your teen uses their mirrors regularly- teach them how to adjust them properly and all the different things to use them for.

4.    Control the Situation

o   Hands on the Wheel: Hands should always be at 10:00 and 2:00- this allows for maximum control of the vehicle and helps prevent the risk of breaking wrist bones in an accident.

o   Become acquainted with the car: Becoming familiar with how the car reacts is extremely important to avoiding collisions. You must know how well your breaks react and how your accelerator functions so you may keep adequate distance for your car and avoid pulling out in front of someone moving too quickly.

o   Go the Speed Limit: talk about the consequences of speeding with your teen- outline what consequences will await them at home if they do get a speeding ticket.

o   Watch the Weather: ride with your child in bad weather conditions often before they get their license. Conditions such as rain, and snow require different stopping distances and driving behavior- point these out to your teen as they drive.

5.    Nighttime Driving

o   The night has different hazards than the daytime due to decreased visibility. There are also more dangerous drivers flooding the roads at night- in fact, 10% of drivers are drunk between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m.  And animals haunt the road ways with the liability of jumping into front of a car at any moment. Practice and experience are the only things that will make increase your teens safety at night.  Give your child the opportunity to drive at night frequently with you in the car pointing out the hazards. When your student first receives their license set a curfew to ensure they will be home before the roads get too hectic until they can adjust and be ready for nighttime driving.

6.    Preparation

o   Equip your teen for common road hazards and emergencies. An emergency kit and accident kit are important to not only help out in an incident but increase your child’s confidence and safety. For tips on preparing your teen for the road see my article: Preparing Your Teen for the Road.

Through education and a little forethought you can help your teen be prepared for the roads often unpredictable behavior. In order to help prevent panic familiarize your teen with all common aspects of car maintenance and repair and have them put their skills to practice. If a teen has already changed a tire, or checked and refilled their engine oil they will have little difficulty doing it when the road demands it.

What to Teach: Reviewing common car problems and their symptoms will help your child become more familiar with their vehicle and notice its changes. These symptoms and common problems should be written down and kept in the cars glove box for reference.

·       Dealing with a Flat Tire

• Being new to the road and with little driving experience teens may not know that they have a flat tire. Through experience a driver can tell that the car makes unusual noises and behaves erratically when it has a flat tire. Simply telling your teen how a car responds to a flat tire will make them more alert and can save you the hassle of rim and tire replacement.
• o   Along with recognizing a flat tire a driver must also know how to remove the flat and replace it with the spare tire. Showing your teen all of the tools for replacing the tire and making them practice this a few times will improve their safety and help ensure that you will not have to come to the rescue on a Friday night to change a tire.

·       Monitoring and Maintaining Tire Pressure

• There are common symptoms of low tire pressure that even adults fail to recognize such as the vehicle pulling to one side. Having an unbalanced car can be extremely dangerous particularly in adverse weather conditions.
• An easy solution: equip your teen with a tire gauge as well as either a bottle of fix-a-flat or a portable compressor and teach them how to use these. Also be sure to write down the proper PCI for their car in your notebook top keep in the car.

·       Checking and filing oil:

• Maintaining the engine oil can be hectic depending on the vehicles condition and age. Some older vehicles burn through oil at an extraordinary rate making it extremely important to not only monitor the oil on a regular bases, but also to be prepared by keeping a bottle of engine oil in the car. But even if your teen is driving a newer car it is important for them to know where the dipstick is located and how to check and maintain the engine oil as it is the blood of the car and imperative to the car functioning properly.

·       Maintaining washer fluid

• Windshield wiper fluid is important to maintaining proper visibility particularly in the summer when bugs make a mess of a cars windows.

·       Jump Starting a Car:

• Everyone makes the mistake of draining their battery by leaving their lights on- for this reason your car should be equipped with jumper cables and your teen should be instructed on their use.

·       Filing water:

• Without water an engine is bound to overheat- particularly if your teen is driving an older vehicle make sure they are aware of this and prepared with extra water in the trunk.

·       Common Symptoms and Problems

• Engine overheating:

1. Heater will only blow cold air
2. Engine temperature gauge moving beyond mid point
3. Steam or smoke billowing from engine

• Empty engine oil:

1. Engine oil is the blood of a vehicle- it keeps all parts in the engine lubricated so they may function- without it the engine parts will create too much friction and cease to work. Because there are no pre-cursing symptoms it is important to maintain the oil regularly.

• Flat tire:

1. Rough ride- feels clunky and off balance
2. Car pulls to one side
3. Can hear a clunk

• Low tire:

1. Car pulling toward one side
2. Difficulty keeping the vehicle straight on the road

• Failing breaks:

1. Breaks will squeak an extreme amount
2. Feel like you are pushing very hard on the breaks and hardly stopping

Safety Tips: Car problems are very dangerous especially on busy roads or during times of poor visibility (night time, rain or snow). Here are some tips to help keep your teen safe while fixing the car or waiting for help.
·       Remove the car as far from the road as possible
·       Use emergency flares and blinkers to warn other drivers
·       Place flares on non-flammable surfaces- not grassy areas that may catch fire
·       Be cautious of those trying to help you- don’t get in a strangers car
·       Call for help
Preparation:

·       Accident Kit- An accident kit should be prepared ahead of time and kept in the glove box of the car. This will make it easier for your teen to remember what is necessary in case of an accident as it is easy to forget important steps when in stressful situations.

• Camera

-To take pictures of the damage

• Personal info sheet

-Prepare pre-done sheets with your name, phone number, address and insurance information

• Paper pad and pen

-In the tablet have a written sheet with the information that your teen must collect in a collision…

1. Name, address, phone number
2. Vehicle make, model and color
3. License plate number
4. Insurance information

Emergency Kit- an emergency kit should be kept in the vehicle at all times this kit should include:

• Jumper cables
• Roadside flares
• Two quarts of oil
• Antifreeze
• First aid kit
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Flat head screwdrivers
• Phillips head screwdrivers
• Pliers
• Adjustable wrench
• Tire inflator (such as a Fix-A-Flat)
• Tire pressure gauge
• Rags
• Duct tape
• Washer Fluid
• Pocketknife
• Ice scraper
• Granola or energy bars
• Bottled water

An important place to start to safeguard your brood is making sure your family vehicle has the best safety features available. As a personal injury attorney practicing in Seattle, Washington, I’ve seen firsthand what a difference they can make. So, when thinking about your next car purchase, ask if the following features are a part of the vehicle you’re considering:

• Proper Airbags

Some of you may have heard that frontal airbags can actually be the cause of injury to passengers, especially children and smaller adults. Well, the new advanced frontal airbags feature sensors that take the passenger size, seat position and crash severity into account when they determine just how much they need to inflate – which reduces that risk dramatically. Side-impact and head curtain airbags also offer a great deal more protection in rollovers and side-impact car accidents.

• ABS (Antilock Braking System)

ABS provides two big benefits when you’re braking to avoid a car accident – you can stop more quickly on a slippery surface and you can maintain steering control. It can’t prevent all car accidents, but it definitely tips the odds your way.

• Stability Control

Stability control, like ABS, also helps a driver maintain control when a car accident might be imminent. This feature uses sensors that take information from your vehicle’s steering, throttle and brake inputs, and is a big help in keeping larger SUVs and other big vehicles under control in less-than-favorable conditions.

• Tire-Pressure Monitoring System

Tires most frequently fail because they don’t have enough air to be driven on safely. A Tire-Pressure Monitoring System helps you to know when your tires need inflating with a dashboard warning light.

• Rear Parking Sensors/Rear-Mounted Camera

In large family vehicles such as SUVs and minivans, you can often have trouble seeing what’s behind you when you back up – a very dangerous scenario if you’re frequently pulling into driveways or parking lots where small children are around. Rear Parking Sensors or a Rear-Mounted Camera helps you know if anything’s behind you before you go in reverse.

• Active Head Restraints

Whiplash is a common personal injury that results from a car accident. Active head restraints automatically close the gap between a driver or passenger’s head and the head restraint – preventing many neck injuries.

Auto companies are becoming more and more ingenious in their use of hi tech devices to help keep us all safer on the roads. By taking advantage of these breakthroughs, we also protect our loved ones from car accidents that can have tragic results.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

Washington state senate bill (SB 6345) was passed earlier this year with widespread support to cut down on inappropriate cell phone use in cars, with special attention focused on texting. The new law has made texting while driving, as well as not using a hands free device while driving, a primary offense. The punishment for breaking this law is a $124 ticket.

According to the bill, texting drivers have a 23% greater chance of a car accident than other drivers. In enacting this new law, the hope is that less distracted drivers means less accidents overall. The KNDO article did not question whether or not action is necessary to reduce distracted driving accidents, but if the reality of the new law’s application is counter to its goal.

Ultimately, I fear that the ramifications of this bill actually result in distracting drivers even more so than before. Cops trying to enforce this law have a very difficult mission ahead of them. Proving that somebody was texting while driving involves following them for a period of time to see that they are clearly distracted, and then visually seeing the driver holding his or her phone. Because cops have to actually see the cell phone in use, this law has caused more people to merely change how they text in the car, rather than making them stop altogether. Now, rather than holding the phone above the wheel while texting, most drivers hold it low and out of sight, thus amplifying the problem of paying attention to the road.

The current law obviously has the right intentions, but if it is making the problem worse, then we need to look into changes that can make it better. One solution might be to increase the penalty for people who get caught. With the fine set at $124, there isn’t much incentive to put away your phone while driving. The chances of getting caught are slim, and if you do get caught, the penalty is pretty low. As it stands, the infraction does not become part of the driver’s record, and is not reported to insurance companies. As we begin to understand the problem of distracted driving more and more, it is becoming a statistical fact that texting or talking while holding your phone are just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. So even though this might sound a bit extreme, why not make the penalty equivalent to that of a DUI? Both are careless acts that put thousands of lives in danger every year. If the punishment for texting-while-driving includes a large fine, potential jail time and a stern mark on a driving record, then I doubt that most people would consider taking the risk to text and drive.

Laws are necessary to fix this problem, but laws can only be effective when the punishment outweighs the potential benefit for those who break it. Our culture is clearly much more accepting of texting and driving than drinking and driving, but it is time that we change this mentality and recognize that both are incredibly dangerous and deserve equally harsh penalties.

The problem is, however, that 9 out of 10 teens also engage in the potentially-lethal practice.

That’s the big shocker from the results of a new online survey of teenage drivers sponsored by Seventeen magazine and the AAA auto club. The survey of 1,999 teens ages 16 to 19 was conducted this past May.

“Teens do continue to drive distracted even when they recognize the dangers,” commented William Van Tassel, manager of AAA’s driver training programs. “Driving is the first real adult responsibility, but let’s face it, they’re still teens whose brains aren’t fully developed.”

The facts on distracted driving point to a clear and present danger. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 6,000 highway wrongful deaths per year are caused by car accidents that resulted from distracted driving.

All across the country, the magnitude of the problem is finally beginning to result in substantial action. 11 states have enacted bans on texting while driving this year – bringing the total to 30 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have passed such prohibitions for all drivers.

In addition, many leading national figures are campaigning against drivers using cell phones. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is currently lobbying for tougher federal legislation, Oprah Winfrey has devoted segments of her popular show to the subject, and Seattle Washington Personal Injury Attorney Jason Epstein created a special website, Teens Against Distracted Driving (located at www.teensagainstdistracteddriving.com) where teenage drivers can take the pledge to stop texting or talking on the phone while behind the wheel.

Such pledges may be increasingly necessary. The survey makes it clear that, although the message is definitely getting out about the dangers of distracted driving, teens are still being tempted into doing it, despite the possibility of causing car accidents that could lead to serious personal injury or even wrongful death.

Their reasons for taking that big a risk? Here are a few they gave on the survey:

• It takes only a split second (41%)
• They don’t think they’ll get hurt (35%)
• It makes driving less boring (22%)
• They’re used to being connected to people all the time (21%).

These are less-than-compelling explanations for behavior that could not only endanger the teenage drivers’ lives, but also the lives of other innocent motorists on the road. It’s clear that more driver education and continued legislation are needed to continue to combat this problem.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

Riding a bicycle down the streets in crowded neighborhoods can be very tricky. Cities like Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Spokane, Everett and many others have busy roads that can be tough for a bicyclist to navigate. Through my time working with bicycle accident clients, I have developed a list of my 5 most important pieces of advice to lower the risk of an accident while riding a bike.

1. Stay off the sidewalk: Bicycle lanes are great both for drivers and people on bikes and should always be used when available. When there is no bike lane, however, the legal and safest way to ride your bicycle is in the street. Sidewalks are filled with pedestrians and make the existence of a bicyclist almost non-existent to drivers on the road. There are many potential accidents that can occur this way. The most common would be a situation where you are approaching a crosswalk and a car from the other side of the street is making a left-hand turn. In a sea of pedestrians, a bike can be invisible to a driver. Because of this, the person making the left-hand turn may not be able to recognize your speed on a bike, and turn right into you. Accidents are split-second mistakes, which are made much easier when visibility is altered in some way. Stay on the street, because that is where oncoming traffic can see you.

2. Protect your brain! While it may not be a state law just yet, many cities and counties require bicyclists to wear helmets. Just to name a few, King County, Tacoma, Renton, Puyallup, Spokane, Lakewood and many others have this law in effect. As a personal injury lawyer, I have seen first-hand, just how different the medical repercussions can be between someone wearing a helmet, and someone who is not. Your parents didn’t lie to you back when you were a kid. Studies show that helmet use reduces head injuries by 85%. A helmet can save your life, and also save you some hassle having to deal with insurance not paying for all of your damages.

3. Don’t go against the grain: Riding against traffic may feel just the same or even more comfortable to you than riding with the traffic, but it is much more dangerous. Reaction time is drastically cut down when you are going against the traffic, because both you and the automobiles on the road are approaching each other at fairly high speeds. Riding with the traffic means that cars will be coming at you from behind, which gives them time to make adjustments to you if necessary. A common accident that can occur when riding against traffic is when a car from an intersecting street approaches the one that you are on. If they want to turn right onto your street, they will be looking to their left because that is where all of the cars will be coming from. You, however, would be going against traffic, thus coming from this car’s right. Having not seen you, this is an accident waiting to happen, and the car could turn right into you.

4. Be well lit: If you don’t have a headlight and a flashing backlight, either don’t ride at night, or immediately go to the store and buy them. Without lights, you are just asking to be in an accident. Not only are these lights a very smart idea for night riding, but they are required by law as well. You may have the greatest eyesight in the world and can see at night as if it were the day, but these lights are just as much for drivers on the road as they are for you. Just as it is with driving, riding a bike at night adds risk. Make yourself as noticeable as possible, or just stay in and wait for some sunlight the next day.

5. Stay where they can see you: Probably the simplest steps, saved for last. Riding slow makes your ride safer in two ways. First of all, it is much easier to avoid potholes, or debris in the road when you are going slow, because it gives you time to react to what you see. Riding slow also gives drivers on the road more time to see you before you get to an intersection, or someplace where an accident may occur. Avoiding blind spots on a bike is equivalent to avoiding blind spots in a car when next to a truck. It is not easy for a truck driver to see a car, and it is not easy for a car to see a bicyclist. Avoid a potentially bad situation by staying behind or in front of cars, especially at stoplights.

The Baby Boomers are turning grey in incredible numbers – and many road safety experts expected a subsequent rise in senior car accidents, thinking that many would drive past the age where it was safe to do so.

Instead, according to a study at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit educational organization, the opposite has happened – the rate of senior car accidents has actually gone down in the last decade, despite the fact that the older generation is holding onto their licenses longer and driving at more advanced ages.

Among drivers 70 and older, the total number of car accidents dropped 37 percent. For drivers 80 and older, the decline was even more dramatic – there were almost half as many accidents as in the previous decade. In contrast, the car accident rate for drivers 35-54 dropped only 23 percent.

Back in 2001, IIHS researchers expected radically different results from this kind of study – that, because of the growing senior population, there would be more of a risk of car accidents in that age group. That’s why they were so taken aback by this study’s findings.

“If the crash trends of drivers 70 and older had mirrored the experience of middle-age drivers, we estimate that about 10,000 additional older drivers would have been in fatal crashes during 1997-2008,” says Anne McCartt, Institute Senior Vice President for Research and one of the authors of the new report.

Why the discrepancy? While there’s no hard evidence to suggest why seniors are driving more safely, the Institute believes it may be because they’re policing themselves more wisely. The ones who need to either limit or stop their driving altogether, may be doing it on their own. There are also many new state licensing policies that are stricter on checking the abilities of the elderly.

The other good news? The odds of an older person surviving a crash have also improved. Researchers calculated that a driver 70 and older is around three times as likely as someone 35-54 years old to sustain a fatal personal injury in a car accident. Again, this was another unexpected statistic to the authors of the study who expected much more negative news in terms of personal injury and wrongful death in senior car accidents.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

1. Focus on the Road and Remove Distractions: Cell phones, changing out the CD, switching the music on your music player all distract you from the road. About 80% of the 6+ million accidents each year are caused by distracted drivers.

2. Stay out of the “fast lane”:

According to research most freeway accidents take place in the left lane. The right and middle lanes offer more escape routes in case of emergency- helping you avoid collision.

3. Keep an Eye Out:

Don’t simply watch what the person in front of you is doing- pay attention to the cars 3 or 4 lengths ahead of you. You will know what is happening further up the road which will enable you to avoid a collision in the event that the person in front of you is not paying adequate attention.

4. Hands on the wheel: Holding the steering wheel properly in the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock position provides more control over your car- enabling you to more easily react and maneuver.

5. Monitor your blind spots:

Quite a few accidents occur as the result of blind spots. The drivers of large trucks are often scrutinized for this, but all drivers should be monitoring their blind spots- particularly when changing lanes.

6. Be Cautious at Intersections:

Intersections can be extremely dangerous- never gun-it when the light turns green- instead make sure there are no vehicles running red lights. Also pay close attention to pedestrians who may have the right of way.

7. You Can Judge a Driver by their Vehicle: If a car has a considerable amount of bodily damage that may indicate a poor driver.

8. Be Familiar with Your Car and its Abilities: Know your vehicle’s limits so you may be able to handle adverse conditions. If you have weak tires don’t speed or slam on your breaks while raining and leave ample space between you and the vehicle in front of you.

9. Perform Routine Maintenance Visit your mechanic on time with factory recommended services, oil changes etc. Monitor your particular cars recall list and make sure you get any recalls taken care of as soon as possible.

10. Avoid nighttime driving. Lower visibility and a higher drunk-driving rate make the roads particularly dangerous after hours.