A one-car accident in northwest Chicago in August sent four teenage girls to the hospital when the 18-year-old driver lost control of the car and hit a light pole, according to SunTimes.com. She and one passenger were listed in critical condition following the accident and the other two passengers were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Likewise, another Chicago teen, reportedly upset over a boy, stole her brother's SUV and crashed it into two other vehicles and a Chicago city bus in July, sending nine people to the hospital. Three of the victims, including a child, were seriously or critically injured, according to NewYorkInjuryNews.com.
The Price of Inexperience
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traffic accidents were responsible for more than one in every three deaths of American teens, making accidents the group's leading cause of death. How high are the risks? The most recent statistics show that every day in 2009, eight teens ages 16 to 19 died from injuries sustained in a vehicle crash. All told, kids in that age group are four times more likely to crash than older drivers. According to CDC.com:
•· While boys statistically take higher risks, inexperience among all newly licensed teens drivers make them less likely to recognize dangerous driving situations and more likely to underestimate hazardous behavior. As a result, teens are more likely to engage in reckless speeding and tailgating that can lead to accidents and injury for themselves and other motorists.
•· Teenage passengers and other distractions escalate a teen driver's risk of accident, especially among newly licensed drivers. Such distractions pose a hazard for the teens involved and unsuspecting motorists nearby.
•· Drinking at any level increases the chances of an accident among teens, even compared to other drivers with the same level of blood alcohol concentration. And even teens who are not drinking may find themselves riding with an impaired driver. A national survey conducted in 2007 revealed that nearly three out of 10 teens had ridden with a driver who had been drinking within the previous month. In the same survey, one in ten admitted to drinking and driving within the past month.
•· Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use, making them less likely to survive an accident.
Graduated licensing, which limits drive times and distractions for newly licensed teens is winning legislative approval in states across the country. Meanwhile, if you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a teen driver, contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your options.
