If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, it is important that you begin looking out for your best interests.

Study shows links between a fatal car accident and teen behavior

Studies into car accidents and their causes are undertaken to determine how and why they happen and try to formulate ways to prevent them. Issues stemming from a car crash can affect people in Illinois and across the country. Therefore, it is wise to keep a close eye on the results of these studies. New data from the federal government is showing that the number of teenagers who are in a fatal car accident is increasing for the first time in 10 years. Teens are 1.5 times more prone to being in a fatal crash than adults.

In this research, it was found that eight out of 10 adults ages 35 to 55 stated that they spoke on the phone while driving. This is higher than teens. Half of the teens and adults surpass the posted speed limit by 15 miles-per-hour. Combining the inexperience that is inherent with teen drivers with the speeding and distractions they have to contend with and there will be a greater number of fatalities. The issue of speeding has been a factor in more than 4,200 of the 14,000 fatal accidents that involved teens over the past five years.

A survey from AAA found that parents were making reckless choices behind the wheel and this is influencing their children to do that same thing. The biggest problem with teens is that they tend to have problems with their visual scanning. Next in the risky behavior is speeding. After that is driving while distracted. An unexpected issue in the dangers of teens on the road is their lack of experience with the graduated licensing process not always in effect. Many teens do not drive until they are 18. Graduated driver’s licenses has been found to lower the risk of a teen being in a crash by up to 30 percent.

When there is a car accident, the resulting injuries and fatalities can cause drastic changes to the lives of the victims and their families. Factors such as pain and suffering must be taken into account. With this in mind, a full investigation has to be conducted to determine whether it was negligence, recklessness or distractions that caused the crash. Having help from a legal professional experienced in pursuing compensation after an automobile accident is a must to set the stage for litigation.

Source: CBS News, “New study outlines teens’ worst driving habits as deadly crashes spike,” Oct. 12, 2016

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