{"id":6297,"date":"2015-07-21T10:26:11","date_gmt":"2015-07-21T14:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/?p=6297"},"modified":"2015-07-16T14:10:35","modified_gmt":"2015-07-16T18:10:35","slug":"teenaged-drivers-what-you-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/2015\/07\/teenaged-drivers-what-you-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Teenaged Drivers – What you Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>As a licensed agent for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina,<\/a> I am almost always thinking about insurance and other health related issues.\u00a0 This week, however, my first born started Driver’s Ed, making thoughts of health and accident insurance exponentially more personal as visions of my teenage son behind the wheel of a car have my heart palpitating and my blood pressure on the rise.\u00a0 Somehow, I doubt I’m the only parent out there who feels this way and unfortunately, our fears are well-founded.\u00a0 According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, it’s a fact:\u00a0 teenage driver’s account for more auto accidents than any other age group.<\/p>\n

Not only does this fact have me double checking my son’s health insurance polic<\/a>y to see that he has enough coverage, it also has me researching everything I can find regarding safety tips for teenaged drivers.\u00a0 What I realized as I researched, however, is that these tips aren’t just for teens.\u00a0 Many adults such as myself, who have been driving for years still need a gentle reminder that safe driving is a top priority.<\/p>\n

The Department of Motor Vehicles recommends the following safety tips for teenaged drivers:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Turn off your cell phone:\u00a0 <\/strong>Studies indicate that using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle is the equivalent of driving drunk!\u00a0 Using a cell phone impairs your ability to focus on the important task of driving safely.\u00a0 In fact, research shows that texting while driving can cause a loss of focus on the road for almost 5 seconds, which is plenty of time for an accident to occur.\u00a0 Even when you are stopped, it is imperative that you maintain your focus on the road and be aware of any important developments that can affect you, your passengers or your vehicle.\u00a0 Furthermore, many states are creating laws regarding cell phone use and texting and oftentimes, younger drivers face stiffer penalties.\u00a0 Take some time to review the North Carolina law regarding cell phone use and driving.<\/a><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Turn on your headlights:\u00a0 <\/strong>Using your headlights increases your visibility and also helps other drivers see that you are coming.\u00a0 Especially in the early morning and at dusk when it may not appear dark, your headlights can make a huge difference<\/a> when it comes to your vehicle being visible on the road.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Obey the speed limit:\u00a0 <\/strong>Speeding is one of the main contributors to teen accidents and fatalities.\u00a0 Freeways or roads with heavy traffic can be especially difficult for young and inexperienced drivers.\u00a0 Even if you feel like cars are flying past you, it is important that you maintain the posted speed limit.\u00a0 Don’t feel pressure to “keep up with traffic.”\u00a0 A safe speed helps ensure your safety if an accident does occur and also protects you from costly traffic tickets that can drive up the cost of your auto insurance.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Limit distractions:\u00a0 <\/strong>Simple things such as eating, drinking, choosing a radio station, or applying make-up while driving can lead to disastrous outcomes.\u00a0 Even playing loud music can be an unnecessary and costly distraction.\u00a0 It is important that you keep your eyes and ears alert for emergency vehicles and sirens as well as other vehicles, pedestrians or road maintenance crews.\u00a0 As an inexperienced driver, you are more apt to lose control of your car and even minor distractions can increase the chances that you will not notice an impending danger or notice it too late.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Drive alone or with a parent:\u00a0 <\/strong>Having even one other teen or child passenger in your vehicle can almost double the risk of you being involved in a car accident.\u00a0 Adding additional teens or children increases this risk exponentially.\u00a0 Until you have gained some experience behind the wheel, drive alone or with your parents.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Drive defensively:\u00a0 <\/strong>As in sports, defense is the best offense.\u00a0 Always pay attention to the traffic around you – in front, behind and beside.\u00a0 Notice turn lanes and road shoulders that might allow you an avenue of escape should you be faced with imminent danger.\u00a0 Stay at least one full car length behind the car in front of you to allow for a reasonable buffer zone and increase that distance if you are driving at faster speeds.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0 Drive a safe vehicle:\u00a0 <\/strong>If at all possible, drive a safe car with the latest safety equipment such as air-bags and electronic stability control.\u00a0 Find one with a good crash safety record.\u00a0 Most importantly, use the safety equipment provided.\u00a0 Lock your doors.\u00a0 Wear your seat belt.\u00a0 Turn on your headlights.\u00a0 All of these features are in place for a reason – to keep you safe!<\/p>\n

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina<\/a> loves teenagers and encourages safe driving for all age groups!\u00a0 The bottom line is that driving is much like everything else in life.\u00a0 Nothing compares to experience.\u00a0 By practicing the above tips, however, you can reduce the risk of car accidents and increase the odds that you won’t become another teenaged driving statistic.\u00a0 Make your parents rest a little easier and keep yourself as safe as possible as you become the next generation of licensed drivers!<\/p>\n

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov<\/a>\u00a0 to apply for your subsidy, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com<\/a> or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our experienced and professional agents.\u00a0 Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a licensed agent for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, I am almost always thinking about insurance and other health related issues.\u00a0 This week, however, my first born started Driver’s Ed, making thoughts of health and accident insurance exponentially more personal as visions of my teenage son behind the wheel of a car […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,58],"tags":[415,762,763,764],"class_list":["post-6297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bcbsnc-insurance","category-miscellaneous","tag-blue-cross-blue-shield-nc","tag-safe-driving","tag-teenage-drivers","tag-teenagers-and-insurance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6297"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6444,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6297\/revisions\/6444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}