The National Safety Council (NSC) and The Allstate Foundation recently started the HEARTS Network, also known as Honoring Everyone Affected, Rallying The Survivors, and is asking victims and family members affected by teen car accidents in Lauderhill and elsewhere to step forward. These organizations are asking for these individuals to join Network to help raise awareness about the serious consequences that result from accidents involving these young, inexperienced drivers.
David Teater, senior director of transportation initiatives at National Safety Council, says that the stories from victims will help prevent or at least reduce accidents. Car accidents continue to be the number one killer for teens. With more awareness, we can help to turn this statistic around and help make our roads safer for everyone.
Our Lauderhill car accident attorneys understand the dangers that teen drivers face on our roadways, and that these young drivers have higher accident rates than any other age group of drivers. The HEARTS Network was launched to allow accident victims and participants with the chance to speak with organizations throughout the community, to help their communities to improve teen driving problems, and to recruit the help of community leaders and traffic safety leaders to raise awareness about the epidemic. The group also serves as a support system for those who have experienced similar tragedies, offering them a place to turn to in difficult times.
John Farrace became a member of the HEARTS Network after his 17-year-old son was killed in a car accident in 2007. Farrace says that he hopes the program will help to enlighten parents and teen drivers about the importance of driver road safety.
The HEARTS Network has shared stories with audiences at the NSC New York Teen Driving Forum, the National Conference for State Legislators and the N.J. Governor’s Teen Drivers Study Commission. Awareness is the number one step to help reduce the risks of these types of accidents.
Of course teenagers aren’t the only people who are suffering in these accidents. In fatal car accidents that involved drivers between the ages of 15 and 17, nearly 70 percent of the victims aren’t the drivers but those in other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. Nearly 6,000 fatal accidents happened in 2009 that involved a teen driver.
HEARTS Network participants are also serving on various traffic safety groups. One of the main groups is the Teen Safe Driving Coalitions funded by The Allstate Foundation. The coalitions are overseen by the National Safety Council in 10 states, including Florida.
If your teen driver has been in an accident or you’ve been in an accident with a teen driver and would be willing to to share your story to help raise awareness about the issue, you can e-mail the NSC or call them at (630) 775-2411.
The car accident attorneys at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez LLC are well versed in cases involving teen drivers, drunk drivers, distracted drivers and speeders. If you or your teen driver has been injured in a car accident in Lauderville, Weston, Delray Beach, Greenacres or anywhere else in South Florida, call 1-800-561-7777 to make an appointment for a free consultation today.
More Blog Entries:
New App Alerting Parents of Their Teen’s Driving Habits Including Car Accidents in Martin County and Elsewhere, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, December 2, 2011
Holiday Traffic Increases Teens’ Risks for Car Accidents in Weston, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, November 23, 2011