Four young people died when their rental car flew off a parkway and smashed into a bridge abutment in Greenburgh, N.Y, USA Today reported recently. Upon impact, the vehicle erupted into flames. Investigators said the car, driven by a 19-year-old, was speeding.
The accident underscores the dangers associated with young drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Based on statistics from 2010, the CDC reports:
- Every day, seven teens ages 16-19 died in motor vehicle accidents. This equaled 2,700 lives lost.
- Nearly 282,000 teens were sent to emergency rooms with injuries from collisions.
- The death rate for male teens was nearly twice as high as for female teens.
- When a teen is driving, the risk of an accident increases with each additional teen passenger in the vehicle.
- Among male drivers ages 15-20 involved in fatal crashes, 39 percent were speeding and 25 percent had been drinking.
There are ways you can help protect young drivers in your family from harm: Establish driving curfews. Limit the number of passengers your teen may have in the car. Know who your teenager is riding with at all times and observe these friends’ driving.
Most important, talk often about the dangers of speeding and of driving while texting or after drinking. When rules are violated, take away the keys or do not allow your teen to ride with an unsafe driver. An angry teen is better than one who is injured, or worse.
If your family has suffered because of someone’s reckless driving, you deserve compensation. The New York and New Jersey car accident lawyers at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd will work to get you the maximum compensation allowed by law. Contact us today for a free consultation.