accidents are the drivers themselves, and
speeding is a factor in about 35 percent of all
fatal car accidents involving teen drivers.
Getting a driver’s license for the very first time is a hallmark of a person’s teenage years, as driving gives teens a new sense of freedom. However, with this freedom comes responsibility, and it can be all too easy for new, inexperienced drivers to forget how dangerous motor vehicles can be when they are not operated safely. Tragically, failing to comply with traffic laws and engaging in other reckless driving behavior causes thousands of teen drivers to get into serious car accidents each year – and, in the worst cases, results in fatal car accidents.
The following teen driver accident statistics, which have been compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, can shed light on the prevalence of these accidents, as well as some of the reasons they happen:
- Car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 years old.
- More than half of all teenagers killed in car accidents are the drivers themselves.
- In fatal car accidents involving teen drivers, the drivers were reportedly speeding about 35 percent of the time.
- In approximately 12 percent of fatal car accidents that involved teenagers, about 12 percent of teen drivers were reportedly using their cellphones or were otherwise distracted right before the accident.
- More than 50 percent of teens killed in fatal car accidents were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision. In fact, when a teen driver was not wearing his seatbelt in a fatal accident, nearly 4 in every 5 teenagers who also occupied the vehicle were also not reportedly wearing their seatbelts.
For more facts and statistics on teen driver accidents, see the upcoming Part 2 of this blog.
St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers
If you have been injured in an automobile accident that may have been caused by some other driver’s reckless behavior, contact the St. Louis car accident lawyers at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting. Our goal is to preserve and promote the rights and welfare of individuals and families who have suffered injuries and losses and/or who need help navigating through the complexities of the court system.
Since 1993, our lawyers have been successfully representing our clients in various areas of personal injury litigation, including car accident lawsuits. Our unwavering dedication to the pursuit of justice in every case we handle means that we will work relentlessly to help our clients achieve the best possible outcomes to their cases. One of our primary goals is to help accident victims secure the maximum possible compensation for their injuries and losses so they can focus on their recovery and moving on with their lives.
For a free initial consult, email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen and/or to call us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office.
