Camden County Car Accident Lawyers: Distracted Teen Drivers Put Others at Risk

A worrisome new study from the American Automobile Association (AAA) shows that not only are car crashes still one of the primary causes of death among teens, but more often than not, it is everyone else on the road who needs to be worried. More teen drivers are involved in car accidents than any other age group, but the dangers of these crashes extend far beyond just teen drivers: nearly two-thirds of people injured in a car accident involving a teen driver were someone other than the driver.

Multiple Distractions of Teen Drivers Put Everyone at Risk

Distracted drivers put themselves, passengers, and other drivers at risk of car accidents injuries and fatalities. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), teens, who are already more susceptible to car accidents in general, are more likely than older drivers to use their cell phones while driving. But cell phones are not the only contributing factor to distracted teen drivers. AAA’s study found that cell phone use contributes to 12% of teen car accidents; while 16% of crashes are caused by distractions from other passengers.

Even though teens are 44% more likely to crash if they have another passenger in the car, only 17 states currently have laws which limit teens to one passenger under the age of 20. Moreover, although studies show that cell phone use is more prevalent among young drivers, 21 states still do not have laws which ban teens from texting and driving. Even in states with laws that try to prevent teens from being distracted drivers, many teens ignore the laws put in place to protect them and everyone on the road.

Parents Can Promote Safer Driving

Parents of teenage drivers are urged to express the importance of safe driving practices to their teens, taking the time to explain specifically how to avoid distractions while driving. Parents should have their teens commit to limiting their number of passengers while they are driving, and can also put parent-teen driving agreements into effect to help decrease the risk of distracted driving car accidents. Parents must talk to their teens and stress that distracted driving can cause fatal car accidents and that no call or message is more important than a life.

Camden County Car Accident Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Help Victims of Distracted Drivers

Despite AAA’s best efforts to warn about risk factors to other drivers from teen car crashes, teen drivers continue to use known distractors, and this negligence continues to result in injuries and fatalities. If you or a family member has been injured as a result of a negligent or distracted driver, the Cherry Hill car accident lawyers at DiTomaso Law will help get you the compensation you deserve. For almost 20 years, our dedicated and compassionate Camden County personal injury lawyers have been fighting to recover millions for New Jersey car accident victims. By offering lower contingency fee rates than other Cherry Hill car accident lawyers, we are able to provide you with more of the settlement you deserve.

We have convenient offices in Philadelphia, PA and Cherry Hill, NJ and we help car accident victims throughout South Jersey including Cherry Hill, Mt. Holly, and Camden County, as well as in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Call 856-414-0010 today to schedule a free confidential consultation or contact us online.