Guest Post  MassDOT, MAPFRE Insurance Reminder: A Safe Summer Depends on You

Boston — This time of year is full of big milestones for many teen drivers. Graduations, other celebrations, and the new freedom and responsibility that comes with a driver’s license are important events in young lives. Unfortunately, for inexperienced teen drivers, this time of year also brings with it a terrible statistic: between Memorial Day and Labor Day, fatal teen crashes increase dramatically.

How can teen drivers improve their odds of avoiding injury in a crash? Research shows three important steps can significantly reduce the chance of a crash when a teen is behind the wheel.

1. Seat belt use – every trip, every time.
2. Speeding wrecks lives; stay within speed limits. Besides the possibility of a ticket, and increased insurance penalties, speeding can have many consequences. Speeding reduces the ability of a driver to quickly and safely stop their vehicle, which increases the chances of a crash resulting in damage and injury. Speeding can also make your vehicle less fuel efficient, resulting in increased fuel costs.
3. Phones down. Distraction is the primary cause of teen driving crashes. The use of a smartphone is governed by laws in many states, including Massachusetts. If a driver is under 18 years old in Massachusetts, they are not allowed to use any electronic devices, including use in hands-free mode. Drivers aged 18 years and over may use electronic devices in hands-free mode, but may not touch the device to activate that feature while driving.

Driving is a responsibility. Be sure teen drivers are aware that risky behavior can have terrible consequences. Let’s keep everyone safe on the road this summer!

The MAPFRE Insurance sponsored MassDOT Highway Assistance Program is on patrol to help all motorists, including motorcyclists, on the highways. Patrol operators monitor some of the state’s busiest highways around Metro Boston, Worcester, Springfield and Cape Cod (seasonal). The Highway Assistance Patrol covers 13 major state roadways and interstates, the Emergency Service Patrol covers the Mass Pike (I-90) from New York to Boston and the Incident Response Operators cover the Metropolitan Highway System and tunnels. The Highway Assistance Patrol is in service Monday–Friday between the hours of 6 a.m.–10 a.m. and 3 p.m.–7 p.m. During holidays, there are extended routes in heavy traffic areas. On I-90, and in Boston’s tunnel system, assistance is provided 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

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Your friends at MAPFRE Insurance