School is out: Watching out for young drivers and children on the roads

June brings thoughts of graduations, proms, and the end of the school year for younger students. Parents and drivers must be more aware during this time. It is an emotional time for everyone as graduates prepare for the next stage of their lives and others look forward to a break from studies.

As a parent, there is a lot to consider before handing over the keys to a new driver on their way to graduation events. As a parent, could you say no if you felt that your new driver would not be safe? Could you say no to them driving with a friend who has a reputation for not being a safe driver? Have you had the conversation about their options if their driver becomes impaired or using social media while driving? We want our young people to have fun, but we also need them to be safe.

We tend to think of impairment in the traditional sense as being due to alcohol or drugs. There are many other things that can impair any driver, but more so a new driver. These could include being very happy or sad, anger and fear. Being tired or on medications for an injury can impair us and for a new driver peer pressure can be very significant. Could your new driver say ‘no’ to a passenger telling them to go faster than is safe? As a young person could you call the police on a friend who is driving or about to drive impaired?

Looking at statistics for crashes involving new drivers shows that, even if they are not impaired, adding just one passenger to the vehicle will double the chance of a collision. Adding two or more passengers will increase the risk five to six times. Lack of experience and how a young persons’ brain develops contribute to the problem. Studies show that the part of the brain that we use for making correct and accurate driving decisions does not fully develop until we are in our early twenties. Until then, we tend to make emotional decisions. It is also important to note that the majority of collisions involving new drivers are single vehicle crashes. In other words, it was an operator error that caused the collision.

Children are getting excited about school finishing and may not pay as much attention when getting off a school bus or playing in the neighbourhood. Think ahead and plan for what could happen based on what you see or cannot see ahead. Expect the unexpected such as a child darting between parked cars or using a nearby crosswalk at the last second. This will decrease your braking distance if they do. By covering your brake on the possibility then you will cut the braking distance even more.

As parents and drivers we must do as much as we can to prevent the injuries and fatalities that often happen at this time of the year.

Congratulations to all of this year’s graduates. Please drive safely.

Greg Robar is owner and instructor of Young Drivers in the Valley and South Shore.