Teenagers today in the United States are driving much less than their predecessors from three to four decades ago. However, there continues to be a disproportionately high risk of death and serious injury in accidents among teen drivers.
In fact, those who are 16 to 19 years old are four times more likely to be involved in both fatal and non-fatal crashes than older drivers. Sadly, car accidents continue to be the leading cause of death among teenage drivers, particularly among the 13-19 age range.
Recent statistics reveal that teenagers involved in motor vehicle crash deaths have decreased over the past few years. In fact, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), since the federal agency started recording down traffic data in 1975, the number of teens aged 13 to 19 involved in crash deaths have decreased ever so significantly, fro
m 8,748 to the latest figure, which is 2,823 in 2012.
Despite the gradual decrease in motor vehicle crash related teenage deaths, law enforcement, traffic safety, and governmental agencies on various levels agree that it remains a serious safety issue. In fact, teenage related crashes and crash related deaths can be attributed to the following circumstances:
• Inexperience behind the wheel. Teenagers take risks without realizing the consequences of their actions. Because of their rash and hurried decisions behind the wheel, they are more likely to become involved in a motor vehicle accident.
• Non-seat belt use. Some teens find seat belts to be “uncool” and therefore unnecessary. Unfortunately, this misconception is one of the main reasons teenagers are severely injured and/or die as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
• Alcohol. Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol severely diminishes a driver’s capacity to evaluate and adapt to road conditions. Unfortunately, teenagers experimenting with alcohol for the first time unwittingly get behind the wheel and cause motor vehicle related accidents which lead to serious injuries and/or death.
Although motor vehicle related accidents can be caused by teen drivers, there are those instances where accidents are caused by the negligence of mature drivers. No matter who caused the accident, it is imperative for the injured driver to be treated immediately. Moreover, the injured driver should consult with an expert car accident attorney who can assist with filing the appropriate lawsuit against the responsible party for property damage, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other related damages.
