Articles Posted in Teen Accidents

Our Broward Injury lawyers wish you and your family a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend.

This holiday weekend, people will be out in force celebrating our nation’s independence. Of course, the many beautiful beaches will be a huge attraction. People will be swimming or riding personal watercraft close to shore, while others head out in boats to fish and enjoy a nice day on the water. Those staying away from the shore may be enjoying family barbeques or hanging out at the pool. While all of these activities can be a lot of fun, you should be alert for certain dangers you may face this holiday weekend.

Over the holiday weekend, authorities are prepared for a higher than average number of car crashes. There are many reasons for this increase, including more people drinking and driving on the Fourth of July and more teens taking to the road now that schools are out.

Teen driving fatalities are higher this time of year than any other period. The National Safety Council calls the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. We are right in the middle of that period this holiday weekend. At the start of the 100 days, the Miami Examiner reported that South Florida ranks particularly high in terms of traffic accidents, and rates involving teen crashes are expected to climb even higher this time of year. In an effort to curb this, AT&T is asking all drivers, including teens, to take part in the “It can wait” movement, which is a pledge to never text and drive. As you may be aware, distracted driving is one of the major causes of car accidents and teens are among the most frequent texters. It may be a good idea to stay off the phone entirely while driving. While mobile apps and hands free devices can aid us in performing many tasks, research still suggests that this causes drivers to be distracted, resulting in car crashes.
Continue reading →

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for young drivers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that drivers ages 16-19 are three times as likely to get hurt in a crash as compared with other drivers. In many cases, teens are more prone to accidents because they don’t know how to drive very well, are inexperienced or make bad choices to do unsafe things.

Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys know that kids tend to mimic the driving behavior that they see from their parents. In fact, a study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Center revealed that parents have a significant impact on how their kids drive.

With parent involvement making such a big difference, it should come as no surprise that research from the Allstate Foundation revealed that the majority of parents both regretted not monitoring their teen drivers better and regretted not spending more time teaching their kids to drive.

Parents Express Regret on Failing to Provide Safe Driving Guidance
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the recent Allstate Foundation study revealed that:

• Almost half of all parents responding to the survey wished that they had monitored their teenage driver more closely after the teen got a license.
• More than half of teen drivers said they wish they had more driving time behind the wheel with their parents.
• Two-thirds of parents wish they had spent more time teaching their teen driver how to drive effectively in high-risk situations.
• Nine out of ten parents indicate that it is important for their teens to learn how to manage night time driving. However, one in three reported not covering this subject with their teen.
• Around 30 percent of parents said they weren’t setting ground rules to prevent dangerous driving behaviors like night time driving or driving with too many other passengers in the car.
• Most parents- around 75 percent- are not aware that driver inexperience is the leading cause of teen car wrecks. The majority incorrectly believe that risk taking is the major reason for auto accidents involving teens.
• 64 percent of parents said they were looking for resources and help in managing their teenager’s driving experience.

To help parents and kids get on the same page and to make it easier for parents to be effective in teaching their kids driving safety, The Allstate Foundation and the National Safety Council have now launched the Drive It Home Initiative.

The Initiative will help parents to better educate their teenagers on safe driving by providing parents with important educational resources. The NSC website has tips for parents about safe driving and there is a Drive It Home Show coming to multiple cities throughout the United States including Fort Myers Florida.

Hopefully, the efforts of Drive It Home can help to prevent deadly teen car accidents that put the teenager as well as other drivers and passengers in danger.
Continue reading →

Teenage drivers are more likely to get into a deadly car accident than any other age group of drivers. These risks come along with their inexperience and their inability to comprehend dangers associated with poor driving habits.

According to a recent study that was published in the Journal of Safety Research. teen drivers oftentimes don’t understand the correlation between drowsy driving and fatal car accidents. The study, conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC), concludes that these young drivers understand the dangers that are associated with drunk driving, but not with drowsy driving. Both of these driving behaviors produce some of the same results — deadly car accidents in Sunrise and elsewhere.

Drowsy Driving & Teen Drivers Study:

-Drowsy driving car accidents happen most often to teen drivers.

-Among drivers who take long road trips, those who are under the ago of 30-years-old are more likely to be sleep-deprived than other age groups.

-The effects of drowsy driving are awfully similar to the effects of drunk driving.

Teen drivers understand that drunk driving is wrong and they understand the effects that it can have on roadway safety. Unfortunately, the same recognitions weren’t present for drowsy driving.

“Drunk driving is universally viewed as dangerous, but young people especially don’t understand the very serious risks associated with drowsy and distracted driving,” said the NSC’s Janet Froetscher.

What safe driving advocates are working to do is to educate drivers of all ages, focusing on our young ones, about the risks that are associated with drowsy driving. As a matter of fact, about 60 percent of drivers, or about 170 million people, admit to driving while feeling drowsy at least once in the past year. About a third, or nearly 105 million people, say that they’ve actually fallen asleep at the wheel during this time, according to DrowsyDriving.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there are about 100,000 car accidents reported every year that involve a drowsy driver. These accidents result in nearly 2,000 roadway fatalities and another 70,000 injuries. Officers believe that the actual numbers are much higher as drowsiness isn’t always reported in an accident. And there is no test to determine sleepiness as there is for intoxication, like a “breathalyzer.”

Before school kicks off for another year, parents are urged to talk with their young drivers about the risks and the consequences of drowsy driving. Make sure your young driver is getting enough rest and knows to avoid driving whenever they’re feeling drowsy. Make sure that your teen knows to avoid driving while they’re sleepy. They should let another licensed driver drive during these times or pull over in a safe place to rest. Drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving! Being able to recognize drowsiness and knowing what to do in these cases can help keep your teen safe.
Continue reading →

A Palm Beach motorcycle accident has claimed the life of a teenager, CBS 4 reported.

The 17-year-old was eastbound on Wiles Road when his motorcycle collided with a Ford Escape that was attempting to turn into a parking lot. The accident sent the victim flying about 70 feet before he landed on the windshield of another vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the other vehicle was taken to Coral Springs Medical Center for treatment.

Our Palm Beach accident lawyers encourage parents to speak with their teenagers about safe driving habits as school lets out for summer. Car accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2008, a total of 2,739 teenagers were killed in car accidents nationwide. In Florida, 195 young drivers lost their lives.

Florida motorists are at particularly high risk for being involved in a serious or fatal motorcycle accident. A total of 523 riders died in Florida motorcycle accidents in 2008, second only to California’s 537 fatalities.

The NHTSA offers resources for parents wishing to discuss safe driving habits with their teenagers. At a minimum, parents should establish clear rules with teen drivers, including:

-Absolutely no alcohol

-Seat belt use

-No cell phones or text messaging while driving

-Curfew

-Limits on number of passengers in a teen’s vehicle

Teens remain at increased risk for distracted driving accidents. The federal government’s website, Distraction.gov, reports that young drivers under the age of 20 have the highest rate of distracted driving accidents in the country.
Continue reading →