What are the Leading Causes of Teen Driver Accidents?

It is inevitable that your teen is going to be driving soon, or may already have begun just recently. The only way for a person to learn how to drive is to begin, and while you may be nervous to allow them to venture off, informing them of the dangers the roadway possess may help them refrain from engaging in any behavior that could place their life at risk. While we want to watch our young ones grow and learn, we also want them to be safe. In an effort to ensure your teen is practicing safe driving, local car accident lawyers in South Dakota are providing you with some facts and statistics regarding teen accidents to help bring awareness to just how serious this issue truly is.

243,243 teens were injured in car accidents in 2013 alone.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013 alone, 2,163 teens between the ages of 16-19 lost their life in a car crash in the U.S. What’s even more shocking is that 243,243 were treated in the emergency rooms for injuries incurred in a motor vehicle accident. These statistics point out that “six teens ages 16-19 died every day from” car accident injuries. So why are so many teens engaging in accidents causing them to lose their life or have them completely altered?

South Dakota car accident attorneys point out that there are several contributing factors that cause this many collisions to occur and some of them are listed below.

  • Impaired driving
  • Reckless driving- Many teens have the tendency to want to show in front of friends or behave irresponsibly by speeding, not paying attention when switching lanes, etc.
  • Driver inexperience- If a teen doesn’t know how to drive and isn’t being cautious and careful as they learn, they risk their chances of becoming entangled in an auto accident. Distracted driving, limited experience, and reckless driving are only some of the reasons why so many teens are involved in a car crash.
  • Driving with teen passengers- When a teen driver has a friend(s) in the vehicle with them, it causes them to engage in conversation or joke around which ultimately takes some of their attention away from the road.
  • Distracted driving- Car collision lawyers in South Dakota point out that distracted driving is constantly discussed and continues to remain as one of the leading reasons why drivers get into crashes.
  • Nighttime driving
  • Drowsy driving
  • Failing to wear a seatbelt- As you know, it isn’t necessarily the “cool” thing to do, however, you must ensure your teen understands just how beneficial it is to wear a seatbelt.

Although some car accidents are unable to be prevented, if you inform your teen of the leading causes of many of the crashes that occur, they have a better chance of refraining from partaking in such behavior.

 

Contact your insurance.