Study shows rising number of deadly teen automobile accidents

When Pennsylvania residents suffer serious injuries, there are often many different factors that contribute to those injuries. This is certainly the case when it comes to injuries suffered in automobile accidents, which can be caused by any number of factors.

For instance, new information from federal regulators is shedding light on the causes of car accidents involving teenage drivers. According to the data, there has been a 10 percent increase in teen driving deaths over the past year, and teens are more than one-and-a-half times more likely than adults to be in a deadly accident.

Perhaps surprisingly, the number of teens and adults who drive 15 miles per hour over the speed limit is consistent for both teens and adults. What’s more, adults between the ages of 35 and 55 are more likely than teens to drive while talking on the phone. Teen drivers still engage in many different forms of distracted driving, however, including talking, texting or using Snapchat or other kinds of apps.

While teens and adults have similar tendencies to speed and engage in distracted driving, teen drivers may be involved in more deadly crashes because their speeding and distraction is combined with inexperience. Inexperienced drivers might be less prepared to encounter issues on the road, or they might lack the reaction skills necessary to avoid a collision.

Ultimately, if another person is injured in an accident with a teen driver, the injured person might be able to hold the negligent driver accountable just as with an adult driver. However, as with any case, the issues could vary when teen drivers are involved. For instance, there might be more focus on the technology that was behind an occurrence of distracted driving. In other cases, the teen may be an underinsured motorist and there can be issues with obtaining a full recovery. No matter what issues are present, however, injured persons should protect their rights and hold the negligent drivers accountable for causing them harm.

Source: CBS News, “New study outlines teens’ worst driving habits as deadly crashes spike,” Oct. 12, 2016