3 Reasons Why Your Teen Shouldn’t Discuss Their Auto Accident on Social Media

There is such a thing as oversharing. Today’s teens spend an average of 9 hours each day uploading pictures, memes, and personal observations to various social media platforms. When a car accident occurs, it’s likely your teen’s first impulse to rush to their phone and fill their friends in on all the details. Here are several reasons why that’s not a good idea.

Attorneys Are Watching

Social media pages are a treasure trove of personal information. After an accident, it’s routine for the legal team on the other side of the fence to peruse the pages of anyone involved in the accident. During this investigation, lawyers are looking for key information, like:

• Evidence of habitual drug or alcohol use.
• Messages about the person’s activities before the accident.
• Signs of negligence or admission of guilt.

Your teen might think that their pictures and comments are harmless. However, the keen eye of a lawyer can pick out details that may go unnoticed by others. These little details could make your case more difficult to win.

Reliability Issues

It’s common practice to embellish events before posting to social media. The idea is to make yourself, or the event, seem more impressive to fans and followers. However, posting purposefully inaccurate information about a car accident can lead to a number of problems. The primary problem is that social media posts can be used as evidence in a court case against you. Testimony that doesn’t match other information can make judges and juries question the validity of all your statements. A simple white lie could lead to unfavorable decisions or possibly even perjury charges.

Beware the Permanent Record

Digital data never goes away. Even if you delete the post and close the account, there are still likely to be copies and imprints preserved on servers and other people’s pages. Posting about a car accident on social media cements the event into your personal history books. Prospective employers, schools, and other interested parties can easily call up the details of a past incident. That kind of information can compromise opportunities and have a long-lasting effect on a young person’s future.

After an accident, encourage your teen to maintain a digital silence about the event to avoid serious repercussions.