The issue of teenage driving and an increased rate of serious traffic accidents has long been a focus of safety campaigns throughout Mississippi and the rest of the country.  There was a decline in teenage driving accidents and fatalities from 2006 through 2011, so these safety programs may be working.  However, there was an uptick in teenage driver accidents in 2012, based on a preliminary report by the Governors Highway Safety Association.  Although there is a lot of speculation about the cause of this increase, one of the reasons might be the frequency with which teenagers use their cell phones and other technology, even behind the wheel.

Mississippi has the unfortunate distinction of being the third highest state for teenage deaths where a teenager was behind the wheel.  Erie Insurance worked with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to analyze crash data provided by the United States Department of Transportation in order to rank the states with regard to deaths caused by teen drivers.  The IIHS has stated that a graduated driver licensing (GDL) system, where there are tiered driving privileges, may work to decrease these accidents.

There are many reasons why teen drivers experience such a high rate of accidents, with much higher rates during the first year of driving.  Some of the main causes of teen accidents are:

• Lack of experience – teenage drivers simply do not have the time on the road to have developed skills to anticipate and react to hazards in the same manner as experienced drivers.  This is one of the reason people advocate for GDL.
• A sense of invulnerability – many teenagers do have a belief that nothing bad is going to happen to them when they ignore posted speed limits and drive recklessly.  However, the statistics demonstrate the fact that teenagers are not impervious to the dangers of violating road rules.
• Teenagers drive distracted – the prevalence of cell phones and texting among young drivers means that they are more likely to read or respond to a text while operating a motor vehicle.  In addition, they may be distracted by making music selections, eating or drinking in the car, interacting with friends, and applying makeup or performing other grooming behaviors.
• Peer pressure influences driving techniques – a teenage driver is far more likely to emulate their friends rather than adult family members and other adults with greater skill behind the wheel.
• An inability to react properly to changing weather conditions – heavy rains and high winds can lead to terrible accidents if the teen driver does not take the appropriate steps to deal with the hazards.

Drivers who are between the ages of 16 to 19 years of age are four times more likely to get into a fatal car accident that drivers aged 25 to 69 years.  The use of programs like GDL and distracted driving safety campaigns aimed at young drivers are effective ways of decreasing the dangers that these new drivers pose for themselves and others on the road.

Barrett Law PLLC Advocates on Behalf of Accident Victims

Whether you were injured in a car crash with a teenage driver or another type of serious collision, it is important to focus on your recovery.  However, the time in which an injured party can make a claim begins to run as soon as the accident happens.  The skilled and hardworking Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are ready to fight on your behalf while you get better.  To schedule a free initial consultation, call us at (601) 790-1505.  We only receive fees if we succeed in getting a settlement or award for you.