What Is The Leading Cause of Death in Teens?

It can be so disheartening to hear that someone you love has been involved in an accident. Imagine if that “somebody” was your child! You should never have to suffer through such a horrible tragedy or wonder what the teen driving laws are. Our car accident lawyer at Payer Law is here for you if your teenager has been injured in a car accident. We always urge parents to review teen driving laws with your child before they sit behind the wheel of a car. Even though you may think that since they passed the test, they know all of the safety laws, they may not. Taking the time to review these laws for even 5 minutes can save your child’s life.
What Are The Teen Driving Laws Actual Statistics?
We want you to talk with your teenager about teen driving laws, not only because it will help keep them out of trouble, but because car accidents are the leading cause of death in teenagers. In a study taken 2 years ago (2015), 2,333 teens between the ages of 16-19 were killed in motor vehicle accidents and 221,313 teenagers were treated at the hospital for injuries due to car accidents only 1 year prior. Our Orlando car accident lawyer is shocked to say that in a study researched in 2014, teens between the ages of 15-19 only represented 7% of the US population but accounted for 10 billion dollars (11%) of the total cost of car accidents.
Is My Child At Risk?
Although everyone who drives a motor vehicle is at risk of being involved in a car accident, the most at risk age group is the 16-19 years of age. Every mile that someone drives, a 16-19 year old is 3 times as likely to crash than someone who is 20. The most at risk teen drivers include male drivers, teens driving with teen passengers, and inexperienced teen drivers. Your child is also at risk if they are under the influence of alcohol. Not only is your teenager at risk of an accident but they are also breaking the law if they are drinking and driving. Make sure you inform your child of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some other risk factors include:
Not wearing a seat belt- Only 61% of high school students say they wear a seatbelt every single time someone is in the car with them.
Inability to recognize a dangerous situation- As a teen driver, you are new to the road so you may not know what to look out for right away. This is also a leading cause of death as it pertains to accidents.
Speeding past slower drivers- Any time you speed, you put yourself at higher risk of a crash because your reaction time will not be as fast if you aren’t driving at a safe speed and speeding past drivers could lead a fatal car accident.
Contact Us
When you are looking for an Orlando car accident lawyer to provide you with more information on teen driving statistics and teen driving laws, call Payer Law at 407-307-2979 or visit our website! payerlawgroup.com