Teen driver deaths up nationwide, down in New York

April 05, 2013 (Press-News.org) Teen driver deaths up nationwide, down in New York

Article provided by The Law Offices of Daniel A. Kalish
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According to the "Teenage Driver Fatalities by State: 2012 Preliminary Data" report that was recently released by the Governors Highway Safety Association, teenage driver deaths are on the rise nationwide.

The report analyzed fatal car accident data, excluding pedestrian and bicycle accidents, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The data showed that the number of 16 and 17-year-olds who died while driving during the first half of 2012 increased from 202 to 240--a 19 percent increase over the same period 2011. If this trend continues throughout the second half of 2012, researchers fear that it may be enough to reverse eight consecutive years' worth of declines in young driver deaths.

Additionally, the report found that 25 states showed increases in teen driver deaths, eight states reported no change and 17 reported decreases. Fortunately, New York was among the states that showed a decrease. Only two 16 and 17-year-old drivers died in the Empire State during the first half of 2012, down from four during the same time a year earlier.

Laws and economy to blame?

The report did not give reasons that are state-specific as to why the number of teen driver deaths is increasing. However, Dr. Alan Williams, the author of the report, speculates that there are two reasons why this trend is occurring.

The first reason is that the improving economy may be encouraging more young drivers to take to the roads. The challenging economic times of recent years left teens with less disposable income, so gas prices and other costs of owning a car likely deterred them from driving. However, the recent economic recovery has reversed this trend. As teens drive more, obviously, their risk of being involved in a car accident increases.

The second reason posited by Dr. Williams is that progress has stalled among most of the states to strengthen their graduated driver licensing laws. These laws were originally passed in the 1990s and work by restricting risky driving activities--such as driving at night or without adult supervision--among young drivers as they learn.

Although the laws have decreased teen car accidents, many states have not updated them to reflect new and modern dangers on the road, such as texting while driving, since they were first passed. Therefore, Dr. Williams is concerned that the beneficial effect of such laws has leveled off.

New York, however, has updated its laws to ban hand-held devices (e.g. cellphones) and texting while driving. This may explain why it had the lowest number of teen deaths during the first half of 2012, despite being among the most populous states.

A personal injury attorney can help

Although strict laws can help reduce the number of car accidents, even the toughest laws cannot eliminate the risk. If you have been injured by an inattentive driver, you may have a right to be compensated for the costs that flow from your injuries, such as medical bills and lost wages. An experienced personal injury attorney can assess your case and ensure your right to compensation is protected.