Study: Young drivers have particularly high crash rates

When a person is hit by another vehicle when out driving, the injuries coming out of the crash could have all sorts of impacts for them. Sometimes, these impacts are immediately noticeable. Other times, they take awhile to present and become apparent. Thus, when a person is hurt in a car accident, even if they initially feel their injuries are only minor, speaking to a skilled car crash lawyer can be important. Such attorneys can advise individuals on the compensation issues related to their accident, and help them with tailoring their approach to these issues to the specific circumstances of their crash.

Some traffic crash victims are hurt in accidents involving teen drivers. Younger drivers can be particularly likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes, particularly this time of year. This can be seen in statistics coming from AAA.

A recent AAA study looked at the accident rates (per mile driven) of different age groups. The study found the accident likelihood of 16-year-old and 17-year-old drivers to be 3.9 times greater than that of drivers 18 and older.

Summer can be a particularly big time of year for teen auto crashes. According to AAA, summer typically sees a 15 percent increase in such crashes.

Some teen driver accidents have particularly major consequences. The above-mentioned study found that drivers ages 16 and 17 had a 2.6 times higher likelihood of involvement in a fatal crash than drivers 18 and over.

So, as the summer months begin, one thing parents of young teen drivers may want to pay very close attention to is how to promote safe and responsible driving conduct in their teen. What do you think are the most important steps for parents to take in this regard?

Source: Today, “Fatal car crashes nearly three times more likely in newly licensed teens,” Linda Carroll, June 1, 2017