Teenage Driving Risks
While drivers of any age can and do cause accidents, underage drivers do show an alarming tendency to be at a higher risk of causing crashes. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates that the crash rate of teen drivers is nearly four times that of drivers who are over the age of 20 years old. This is thought to be due to a number of different factors, including the tendency of teenaged drivers to become distracted, as well as a lack of experience in general. Whatever the cause, the accidents resulting from a teenage driver’s negligence can have devastating consequences for the other parties involved.
A Lack of Experience
Many teen car accidents are attributed to the limited experience of younger drivers. As novices when it comes to driving, they often lack the skills that are required to safely navigate the roads. This can lead to poor decisions, misjudging distances, speeding, and reacting improperly to potential hazards. All of these factors make it much more likely that a teenaged driver will be involved in an accident.
Teenager Distraction
Distraction has proven to be an increasingly serious problem for drivers of all ages on U.S. roadways. Teenagers, however, may be even more susceptible to this problem. In fact, as many as six out of every ten teen crashes are thought to involve some sort of driver distraction, such as:
- Interacting with a passenger;
- Using a cellphone;
- Looking at something inside the vehicle;
- Grooming; and
- Reaching for an object inside the car.
Unfortunately, these kinds of activities are extremely dangerous when undertaken behind the wheel, as they can take a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, mind off of driving, and in some cases, all three.
Risky Behaviors
Driving while distracted isn’t the only dangerous activity in which younger drivers are more likely to engage. Adolescent drivers, for instance, are more likely to speed, swerve aggressively, and tailgate. These kinds of reckless driving practices are dangerous not only to the driver, but to anyone else on the road. Furthermore, accidents caused by speeding, tailgating, and aggressive driving often have more severe consequences, including serious and sometimes catastrophic injuries.
Were You Injured Due to a Teen Driver’s Negligence?
While there are steps that parents and guardians can take to help impress upon their children the importance of using safe driving practices, accidents caused by adolescent drivers can and do continue to occur across the U.S. In these cases, the accident victim’s best chance of paying off medical debt and making up for lost wages may be to seek compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurer. Unfortunately, this can be a drawn out and complicated process, especially without the help of a lawyer. To get started on your own car accident claim, feel free to call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today. You can also set up a meeting with one of our experienced Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers by sending us an online message.
Sources:
nhtsa.gov/road-safety/teen-driving
iihs.org/topics/teenagers
