Car Accidents are Leading Cause of Teen Deaths

Clore Law · July 9 2014

Every year more teen drivers die in car accidents than for any other reason. In fact, according to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seven teens died almost every 20 minutes in car accidents in 2010. The agency also writes that drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are three times more likely to be in fatal car accidents than those older than age 20. Teen drivers who are the most at risk for car accidents include – – Male drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 (they are more than twice as likely to have fatal accidents as females between those ages) – Teen drivers who travel with teen passengers (the more passengers the higher the risk) – Drivers who have only had their license for a few months

Reasons why Teen Drivers have More Car Accidents

Some of the reasons that cause teens to have more car accidents are inexperience and responsibility. The CDC says that teen drivers leave less room between the front of their car and the rear of the next. Also, teens, especially male drivers with passengers, tend to drive too fast. Texting and driving is one of the most serious issues with teen drivers and adult drivers alike, and parents are urged to make a pact with their young drivers expressly forbidding any texting while driving.

Alcohol Plays a Factor in Teen Driver Car Accident Fatalities

Unfortunately, alcohol plays a role in teen fatality car accidents. About 22 percent of all fatal teen motor vehicle accidents in 2010 involved alcohol. About 24 percent of teens said in a 2011 survey that they had been a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking. More than half of the teens who died in alcohol related car accidents were not wearing a seat belt. Aside from alcohol, speed is a factor in many teen car accidents, as well inexperience that sometimes prevents a young driver from recognizing dangerous situations. Coupled with the fact that teens have the lowest seat belt usage rates of all age groups, it's little wonder why the rates of fatal car accidents are high.

Keeping Teen Drivers out of Car Accident Fatality Statistics

Research shows that about half of the teen deaths from car accidents occur between 3 pm and midnight and more than half occur between Friday and Sunday. In fact, twice as many fatal car accidents involving 16 year old drivers happen after dark. Parents and guardians of teen drivers can decrease the risks their teen drivers face every time they get behind the wheel. In fact, research shows that parents who supervise their teen drivers and enforce safe driving rules of the road reduce the rates of death and serious injuries in car accidents. The Graduated Driver License (GDL) program has been proven to reduce teen driver fatal car accidents. Under this program, 15 year old drivers are categorized as Learners for at least 6 months and are required to have 40 hours of supervised driving. Intermediate drivers (aged 15 and 6 months) are restricted from driving between dusk and dawn and can carry no more than 2 passengers under the age of 21. Full driving privileges are granted at age 16 and 6 months. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact Clore Law Group now. We advocate for the rights of those hurt by the negligence of others. If you have suffered the wrongful death of a loved one due to a car accident, we will stand beside you and help you seek the compensation you deserve. Contact Clore Law Group LLC now at 843-722-8070.