Personal Injury Article of the Week
Personal Injury Lawyer & Car Accident Attorney Emery Ledger Talks Teens
Have you ever wondered who are the most dangerous drivers on the road? Your teenager or his grandparents? Well, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it's your teenager, hands down. Teenagers are four times more likely to crash than older adults. Car accidents are the number one cause of death for these young people ages 16 to 19 years old. Next time you get behind the wheel, consider who might be sharing the road with you. Are there young people speeding out of control? Are they refusing to give the right of way to other drivers. Distracted by their friends in the car. Showing off. Drinking alcohol, taking drugs or just too tired to drive safely. You may not always see them, but they are out there. Nationwide, motor vehicle accidents accounted for 3,466 deaths for teenagers ages 13 to 19 years old in 2009, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. After drinking, these teenagers were also nearly two times more likely to cause a fatal accident than other drivers using alcohol. It's a fact that hasn't gone unnoticed here in California where licenses for our youngest drivers are now strictly regulated. Statistics show that the younger the driver is, the more risk of them crashing their vehicle. That is why since 1998 California began prohibiting its newly-licensed teenagers from driving in the nighttime between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. They are also prohibited from carrying passengers under 20 years old without an adult aged 25 or older is present. However, despite stricter regulations for new drivers, a full license to drive will be issued after the 12-month probation is over. Once they say goodbye to their "training wheels" the incidence of traffic fatalities among older teenagers begins to rise. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported this month that fatal crashes among older teenagers with full driving privileges has begun to increase with age. It begs the question whether the state may expand the provisional driving program beyond it's current 12-month duration. Age of Teenager % of Fatal Crashes Per 100,000 people 16 years old 28% 17 years old 36.9% 18 years old 46.2% 19 years old 44% The Journal of the American Medical Association Teenagers are also learning some bad habits from their parents such as talking on cell phones or interacting with other teens while driving the car. The U.S. Department of Transportation and Consumer Reports says that 16% of all teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were distracted while driving. Let's not forget that the simple act of buckling up their seatbelt could save their lives. Roughly two-thirds of teenagers 16 to 20 years old killed in crashes didn't wear one, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Parents these accidents can happen to anyone. Teenagers simply lack driving experience. The DMV reports that 16-to-19 year old drivers involved in fatal crashes were found to be negligent in many ways including speeding, making unsafe passes, changing lanes, not anticipating signal changes, ignoring signs, improper turns, failing to give right-of-way and even driving on the wrong side of the road. Sadly it's all too preventable. When you or a loved one become a victim of another individual's negligent actions it's important that you team up with a law firm that understands what you are going through. The Law Offices of Ledger & Associates has a proven track record of success with millions recovered for our clients . Our firm specializes in wrongful death claims with experience at the Federal, State, Juvenile and Appellate court levels. Also, hiring an experienced attorney is easier than you might expect. Indeed, our expert analysis of your situation can determine whether you have a case and how to go about pursuing justice for the loss of your loved one. For some additional information about how to keep your teenager safe check out some of the following websites. If you have been injured by a distracted driver, contact California personal injury attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates for a free and detailed evaluation of your situation at 1-800-300-0001 or fill out the accident case evaluation contact form on this page.
