As a parent, seeing your child obtain their driver's license and first set out on the road alone can bring about a whole new level of worry and concern. The easiest way to make sure that your teen is fully capable of staying as safe as possible is to teach them about the dangers of unsafe practices, especially when it comes to distracted driving. Here are a few alarming facts that every new teen driver needs to know about distracted driving.

1. Teens Are More Likely to Drive While Distracted - About 10 percent of fatal crashes involving teenagers were related to distracted driving. Therefore, teaching your new teen driver about the dangers is especially important as a parent. Not only should your child know that specific distractions, such as using their phone or playing with the stereo, are dangerous, but they should understand that many of the teen drivers they share the road with could be dangerously distracted as well.

2. A Football Field Length Can Be Traveled In Seconds - Teenagers sometimes do not fully comprehend the gravity of their actions. So, as a parent, this means that you should take special care to make sure they do understand the seriousness of texting while driving. Reading one text may take as little as a few seconds, but during this time, a car going at 55mph could have easily traveled the distance of a football field. This distance of travel with no attention from a driver can leave a lot of opportunities for an accident to occur.

3. Texting Is Not the Only Type of Distracted Driving for Teens - Teen drivers should be educated about the dangers of texting and using their phone when they are learning to drive, but also should be informed of other forms of distraction as well. Eating while driving, talking to other car passengers, and even loud music can be a huge distraction for a someone who is just getting familiar with their driving responsibilities.

4. The Consequences of Distracted Driving Can Be Fatal - In 2013, more than 3,000 people were killed in car crashes that involved a distracted driver. Teach your new teenage license holder that distracted drivers can be critically injured and even killed, or put someone else in major danger.

With time and experience, every new driver can be more safe on the highway, but teaching your new teen driver about the dangers of distracted driving can go a long way. If your teen has been involved in a car accident associated with distracted driving, be sure to talk to a car accident attorney, such as Welsh & Welsh PC LLO, for advice.