According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car accidents are the primary cause of death for adolescents with over 5,000 teenage lives lost each year. In fact, drivers aged 16-19 suffer four times more fatal crashes than drivers aged 25-69. This fact led Congress to declare the third week in October as National Teen Driver Safety Week.
To address this unfortunate trend, Daggett Shuler promotes National Teen Driver Safety Week by providing both teen drivers and their parents with information to keep them safe on our roads.
The Risks
As of 2013, teens aged 15-19 represented 7% of the U.S. population, yet accounted for 11% of the cost of all motor vehicle injuries. In 2015, 2,333 U.S. teens aged 16–19 were killed—and 235,845 injured in car accidents. To put this in perspective, six teens aged 16–19 die in car accidents each day. The CDC’s risk factors for teen drivers paint a troublesome picture:
- Teen drivers aged 16 to 19 are three times more likely to become involved in fatal crashes than drivers aged 20 and above.
- As of 2016, the risk for male drivers and passengers in this age group was twice that of female drivers of the same age.
- Unsupervised drivers with passengers face increased risk of accidents—which will increase with the number of passengers.
- New drivers face a high risk—as drivers aged 16-17 are involved in twice as many fatal crashes than drivers aged 18-19.
The Dangers
To reduce the risk, make sure your young driver is aware of the leading causes of teen crashes:
- Driver Inexperience
- Teen Passengers
- Nighttime Driving
- No Seat Belt Use
- Distracted Driving
- Drowsy Driving
- Reckless Driving
- Impaired Driving
Safety Means Education
Daggett Shuler knows parents raise teens to understand the dangers of the road. At the same time, we encourage teen drivers to take safety seriously. With the right training, education, and precautions, our teens will make smart choices to become safe drivers.
We Can Help.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact Daggett Shuler Law for help. An experienced Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney can handle your entire case and work to secure fair and just compensation for you.
If you have questions about a motor vehicle accident, call Daggett Shuler at 800-815-5500. When you call, you will speak with a Winston-Salem, North Carolina Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney absolutely FREE. We will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you—and fight hard to secure the compensation you deserve.
Daggett Shuler Law – You Can Depend on Us