Study Shows Fatal Teen Car Accidents Rise 10 Percent

Young driver Teen traffic fatalities are on the rise in the U.S., as they remain the number one killer of people between the ages of 15 and 19-years-old, according to a study conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The study shows that the number of fatalities in car crashes involving teen drivers spiked 10 percent from last year. Teenagers are revealed to be 1.6 times more likely to be involved in fatal car crashes than adults.

In a separate study conducted by AAA, 14,000 teen-related fatal car accidents were analyzed. The study found that 4,200 were due to speeding. Although speeding accounts for nearly one-third of fatal car accidents that involved teens, poor visual scanning is the most common mistake teen drivers make behind the wheel. Speeding is the second highest reported cause, followed by distracted driving.

AAA interviewed 142 driving instructors who said the blame should not solely be placed upon teenagers, but also on their parents. More than half of the driving instructors interviewed revealed that they think parents today are worse at teaching their children safe driving habits than parents were a decade ago.

The study found that teens imitate their parent’s habits when they are learning how to drive a vehicle. If the parents practice good habits that are in line with proper safety procedures, then observant teens will do the same.

While more adults are guilty of displaying poor driving habits than teens are, the experience that adults have gained from years behind the wheel prevents them from succumbing to the same numbers of fatalities as teens have.

AAA is advising parents to be more aware of their own bad habits and become involved with their teenager’s driving education. By doing this, they could prevent more fatal accidents from happening.

Parents should discuss the dangers of texting while driving, speeding, distracted driving and teaching their children how to properly scan the road for other motorists before making any fast driving decisions.

If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Our experienced car accident lawyers will provide you with a free consultation where we will review your claim and determine if you are entitled to compensation.

Call (717) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form.

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