Accidents Caused by Teenage Drivers

Teen drivers in North San Diego County have far less driving experience than adults, and are too often the cause of serious car accidents. The major cities of North County including Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, Escondido and San Marcos are loaded with teenagers. Many accidents caused by teenage drivers can be prevented, however, when parents understand the risks associated with teen driving, and work to encourage safe behavior behind the wheel.

According to a fact sheet from the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles, “teen drivers 16 to 19 years of age have the highest annual crash and traffic violation rates of any other age group.” The accident rate for 16-year-old drivers in California is 3.7 times higher than drivers of all other ages, and the crash rate in total for drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 is 2.7 times higher than the accident rate for drivers of all ages.

What should you know about accidents caused by teenage drivers? What should you do if you or someone you love gets hurt in a teen caused car accident in San Diego County? If you find yourself in this situation, a San Diego lawyer can help.

Why do accidents caused by teenage drivers happen in North County and throughout Southern California? According to statistics from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, teen driver crashes occur for a number of different reasons. The following facts and figures help to clarify some of the primary causes for auto collisions involving teenage drivers in Southern California:

• Teens who drive with one other passenger under the age of 21 are at an increased risk of being involved in a car accident by 44%;
• When a teen driver carries two passengers under the age of 21, the risk of a collision doubles;
• When teenage drivers have three or more passengers under the age of 21 in the car, the risk of a crash quadruples;
• Having an adult passenger aged 35 or older in the car with a teen driver decreases the risk of a crash by about 62%;
• Drivers between the ages of 17 and 26 talk on their cell phones for an average of one hour every day and send an average of 80 texts each day;
• Approximately 94% of teen drivers do not turn off their phones while they are behind the wheel, and 80% of teen drivers assume that they are “safer-than-average drivers who don’t believe their distracted driving puts them at risk”; and
• Around 70% of teen drivers admit to talking on a phone while driving in the last month, while more than 50% admit to reading a text message or email while driving in the last month.

To be clear, distracted driving is a major cause of teen car accidents, and many of these distractions can be avoided by practicing safe driving habits.

Teenage traffic collisions are preventable. However, if you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a car accident caused by a teen driver, it is important to speak with a local teen driver car accident lawyer to discuss what rights exist for victims of such accidents, and the various pathways to obtain compensation for losses. A dedicated attorney at the Walton Law Firm can discuss your options with you today. Contact us at 760-571-5500 to learn more about the services we provide to clients throughout the North County area.