Younger drivers in Louisiana and across America may benefit from visits to intensive care units and morgues. According to a Baylor University study, those who toured these locations were generally more aware of the consequences of risky behavior. The study looked at 21 teen drivers who participated in the Reality Education for Drivers (RED) program. While the RED program is offered in Texas, there are many others like it in the United States.
The study asked participants whether they had taken actions such as texting while driving or drove on a freeway between midnight and 6 a.m. They were also asked to identify dangerous behaviors while driving. Most said that drunk driving, speeding and failure to wear a seat belt were dangerous. At the end of the program, the participants were found to be more aware of the dangers of speeding and peer pressure as it related to drinking.
However, researchers said that it was unclear whether the program and others like it had any effect on a driver’s behavior thereafter. After two months, six of the 21 participants followed up with researchers. Of those six, four had reported driving in that two-month period, and all four admitted to texting or using a phone while driving. Researchers suggested that parental guidance could have an impact on a teen’s driving behavior.
People who have been injured in a car crash that was the fault of another driver often need extensive and expensive medical care and treatment. They might find it advisable to have a lawyer’s assistance when seeking compensation for these and other losses.