Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
The South Florida area recently launched a new way for parents and guardians to keep an eye on their teen drivers. A local resident has developed the “PUSH TEXT” app and it’s gaining a lot of attention across the nation.
According to the Examiner, purchasing the app includes registration of your teen’s car in a database and a bumper sticker that says, “How is my kid driving.co PUSH TEXT myTAG#.”
Other drivers who have the app, are able to submit anonymous text messages regarding your teen driver. These messages go straight to you. The app only costs $15 for the first year and then just $10 per year thereafter. It’s like getting a report card on your kid’s driving.
Our Hollywood injury lawyers understand that car accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for this young age group. During the first few years that these youngsters have their driver’s license, they face the highest risks for car accidents that they’re ever going to experience. It’s important as a parent or guardian that you help your teen along with this learning experience.
The app is causing quite a stir though. Safe driving advocates say that it’s a bad idea because it’s urging other drivers to pull out their cell phone while they’re driving and start texting about another driver’s habits. As a matter of fact, texting while driving is one of the top causes of car accidents nationwide. Officials estimate that there are more than 1.5 million car accidents that happen every year because of driver’s usage of cell phones and text messaging devices.
There are no distracted driving laws in the state of Florida, so drivers are free to make phone calls and text message behind the wheel as they wish. Florida state Representative Irving Slosberg is trying to change it. He lost his teenage daughter in a 1996 car accident involving a distracted driver.
“What you’re asking people to do is text while driving. I applaud this father for doing something about teen driving, but I think it can be dangerous,” said Slosberg.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, texting while driving increases the probability of a car accident by about eight times.
While the sentiment may be approved by many, critics say the creator was off target with this idea. Regardless, it’s important that we know how our teens are doing behind the wheel. In the state of Florida, teenagers make up about 5 percent of the total driving population, yet they account for about 10 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes. Make sure you sit down with your teen and talk with them about their driving habits. Talk with them about the risks and the consequences that are associated with dangerous driving. Your talk could help to one day save their life.
If you or your teenager has been injured in a car accident, contact the personal injury lawyers at Freeman & Mallard for a free and confidential consultation. Call 1-800-561-7777.
Additional Resources:
Texting while driving: A questionable new solution emerges in South Florida, by Danielle Tworek, Examiner
More Blog Entries:
Teen Drivers Not Following GDL, Increasing Accident Risks, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, August 18, 2012