Vehicle-related teen deaths on the rise

By Butler Prather LLP on October 26, 2016

About 3,000 teenagers die in traffic accidents around the country every year, and Georgia parents may not know that it is the leading cause of teenage fatalities. They die in crashes at a rate of three times more compared with any other age group. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that overall, the rate of traffic fatalities increased by more than 7 percent over the prior year, the largest percentage increase in 50 years. Teen accident fatalities 2015 increased by 10 percent, which was the highest percentage of any one age group, according to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The NHTSA data also found that distracted driving-related deaths increased by more than 8 percent. Distracted driving tends to be underreported and may even be to blame for more than half of all serious crashes involving teenagers, according to a report by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

While many vehicles are equipped with safety features such as additional airbags, anti-lock braking systems and electronic stability control, more needs to be done to prevent teenage car crash deaths. For example, parents can encourage their teenagers to not use their smartphones when they drive and refrain from doing this themselves to set a good example.

People who have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent teenage driver might want to meet with an attorney to discuss how best to seek compensation for their losses. Under some circumstances, the parents of the teen could be found to bear financial responsibility.

Source: The Huffington Post, “October 16-22 Is National Teen Driver Safety Week, But Our Children Deserve to Have Us Focused On Teen Traffic Safety 52 Weeks Of The Year”, Joel Feldman, Oct. 20, 2016