Another successful Teen Driver Safety Week highlights dangers of novice drivers

February 22, 2013

Another successful Teen Driver Safety Week highlights dangers of novice drivers

Article provided by Schuster Jachetti LLP
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This October saw another successful teen driver safety week in Delaware. The time is set aside to educate the young drivers of the state is sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles' teen driver services center, and was designed to highlight the dangers of having distracted or ill-prepared teens behind the wheel.

Why have this week set aside?

In a word: awareness. States around the country - Delaware included - have programs in place to educate young drivers, but many of them are still unaware of how hazardous it can be if they allow themselves to be distracted or find themselves in an unfamiliar driving situation that they can't handle. That happens far too often: car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens around the country, and drivers of 16 or 17 are seven times as likely to be involved in crash than other age groups.

The goal of such a widespread, public education campaign is to make teens aware of the fact that they are much more likely to be involved in an accident behind the wheel than people in other age groups, and that risk goes even higher when more teens are in the car as passengers.

According to data presented by the American Automobile Association (AAA)'s Foundation for Traffic Safety, teen drivers are much more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors like drinking while intoxicated, speeding, driving late at night when conditions are more difficult or driving aggressively when they are accompanied by other teens. In fact, the risk of a teen driver causing an accident increases dramatically when more than one non-familial teen is along for the ride. The AAA survey also noted that, in the past six years at least, nearly half of all 16- or 17-year-olds involved in fatal crashes were driving with at least one teenager passenger.

Teens aren't the only ones to blame

Granted, teen drivers are not the only ones who engage in risky behaviors behind the wheel, and they are obviously not to blame for all traffic accidents. Still, their lack of experience does hinder their responses to changes in traffic patterns, inclement weather conditions and other issues that might not have an impact on a more experienced drivers.

Regardless of the age of the at-fault driver, though, thousands of car accidents happen every day across the country. If you or a loved one has been injured in one, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney in your area to learn more about your legal rights and options you may have to hold accountable parties responsible.