It’s often said: “It isn’t easy being a teen.” Teens have to face enormous levels of peer pressure. They feel – and sometimes look – like they are “between times.” Their bodies and psyches are often in transition. They aren’t fully adult and yet, but they certainly aren’t children anymore. And if teens didn’t have enough to be concerned about, they are confronted with an additional harsh bit of reality: Particularly from a motor vehicle standpoint, being a teen can be deadly.
Centers For Disease Control Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), during 2013, one-third of all teen deaths in the U.S. were the result of motor vehicle crashes. More than 2,100 teens aged 16 to 19 were killed, and more than 240,000 injured in vehicle crashes. The crash risk is particularly high among newly licensed teens.
Why Are America’s Roads So Dangerous For Teens?
Experts point to a number of factors that put teens at such a substantial risk of death or personal injury. Those factors include:
- Driving is an acquired talent. Studies show that inexperienced teens are much more likely than older drivers to speed. Young men, in particular, seem to enjoy the exhilaration of fast movement. Teens are also more likely to underestimate the “laws of physics,” (e.g., the amount of space needed to stop a car moving at 60 mph).
- Too many teens don’t wear seatbelts. Compared with other age groups, teens are less prone to use these basic safety devices. The CDC study revealed that of the teens (aged 13-20) who died in passenger vehicle crashes in 2013, approximately 56 percent were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. And here again, young males are particularly “forgetful” when it comes to seatbelt use.
- Too many teens compound their inexperience with alcohol. The CDC study indicates that at all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers. It is illegal, of course, for anyone under age 21 to drink in the first place.
- Teen drivers are particularly prone to a lapse or loss of judgment when they have teen passengers. This is an intriguing and disturbing phenomenon. According to the CDS study, it is as if the teen driver loses some measure of common sense with every additional friend who gets in the car with him or her. Seatbelt use declines when there is more than one teen. Texting and other forms of distracted driving tend to increase. The combination is tragic and dangerous.
Auto Accidents Involving Teen Drivers Devastate Lives and Families
In a few seconds, a young life can be ended in a car crash. All too often, others in the teen’s car, or in other involved vehicles, suffer serious personal injury and sometimes even death. Medical bills pile up. The level of lost wages can be enormous. Those injured often suffer significant levels of pain and suffering. To recover for your losses, you need – you deserve – experienced, caring, and strong legal counsel. At the law offices of B. Clarke Nash, P.C., you will have a vigorous and aggressive attorney. Clarke provides personalized service and he gets results.
You likely have questions. Here’s an answer you won’t always get with other attorneys: Clarke’s clients don’t just deal with a case manager. If Clarke represents you, you can talk to him if you have questions about the procedures to be followed or about the status of your case. Clarke once worked for the insurance companies; he knows how they operate and what motivates them. He has office availability throughout the state of Georgia. Contact Clarke, using either the online form or the telephone via (912) 200-5292. We can schedule a consultation.