Learning to drive is important to teens in Connecticut and across the nation. For their parents and others on the road, safety is of grave concern as these young drivers often lack the experience older drivers have. Studies examine these issues and provide information as to the riskiest behaviors of teens. New research hammers home the danger of being a distracted driver, but not in the way many may believe it occurs.
When it comes to causes of distracted driving accidents, many people may initially think of texting and driving. However, the study indicates that teens who are driving with other teens in the vehicle have a higher rate of fatal accidents than when they do not have another teen in the vehicle. This study, from AAA, says that the percentage of deaths for people who are in a crash under these circumstances rises by half. These numbers were from 2016. In Connecticut, there were 18 deaths in accidents with teen drivers. And two out of three of these led to the death of another person and not the teen who was driving.
Interestingly, teens who drive with an adult passenger had a reduction in the rate of fatalities by 8 percent. In Connecticut, teens ages 16 and 17 are legally prohibited from driving with other teens in the vehicle in the first year in which they are licensed to drive. AAA suggests that parents talk to their teens about safe driving and how to adhere to the law before letting them out on the road.
Encountering a teen driver carries with it unavoidable risks. With this study, the concerns are exacerbated as it indicates that teens simply driving with other teens in the vehicle substantially increases fatality rates. Any auto accident — whether it involves a teen or not — can cause multiple issues such as medical costs, lost time on the job, the need for care and rehabilitation, and more. When there is a fatality, these issues are far worse. A law firm that has experience in helping people who have been impacted by car accidents can be of help with pursuing compensation.
