When summer arrives, teens are more at risk of getting into serious car accidents.
Car accidents involving teen drivers in Delaware often occur during the summer. In fact, Delaware has the second highest number of teen driving accidents nationwide compared to all other states, according to one recent nationwide traffic safety study.
“Young drivers are statistically more likely than other age groups to be involved in fatal accidents,” explained Bumper, the website that recently conducted the summer teen driving accident study that identified Delaware as the second highest in the country.
The Bumper study examined the difference between the number of car accident fatalities caused by teens throughout the year compared to just the summer months, which include June to September.
Using those rules, it was released that 47.5 percent of all teen driver deaths in Delaware occur during those four summer months, even though those months account for only 33 percent of the year. Wyoming was the only state with a higher percentage of summer teen driving fatalities.
Why are there more accidents in the summer?
This recent study isn’t the first to identify just how dangerous summer can be for teen drivers. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has been studying the problem for years. During this time of year, more “teens are joyriding as opposed to driving with a specific destination and time in mind,” resulting in more accidents, according to Diana Gugliotta, Senior Manager of Public Affairs for AAA Northeast.
Consider the facts. Between 2011 and 2020, drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 caused 7,316 car accident fatalities between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a period known as the “100 Deadliest Days” among road safety experts.
And unfortunately, the problem is only getting worse. During the summer of 2021, nearly 900 people died in motor vehicle accidents caused by teen drivers. That figure was 6 percent higher than in 2020 and 25 percent higher than in 2019.
What is the biggest cause of teen crashes?
Along with joyriding during the summer, there are many other reasons why teen drivers cause so many collisions, such as:
· Inexperience – Younger drivers do not have the experience to accurately assess the risks of driving, which often results in serious accidents.
· Speeding – More than 44 percent of collisions caused by teenagers involve speeding or going too fast for conditions.
· Distracted Driving – Many young drivers do not focus on driving. Sometimes, it's because they are texting while behind the wheel. But because younger drivers lack experience, even having another teen in the vehicle with them can be distracting and result in a collision.
· Drunk Driving – Even though teenagers cannot legally drink, 23 percent of car accident deaths caused by teen drivers involve alcohol.
Traffic safety experts have suggested several possible ways to reduce the number of collisions caused by teenage drivers, including:
- Driver education courses for young drivers.
- Increased enforcement of common teen driver violations, such as speeding, drunk driving, and texting while driving.
However, most road safety advocates agree that parents need to talk to teens more about how to drive safely and set a good example.
After a crash, let us put our experience to work for you
There are so many different legal issues that can come up after a serious car accident in Delaware. The at-fault driver might deny doing anything wrong. Insurance companies might delay, dispute, or deny your claim. And if you don’t have an experienced car accident attorney on your side, your rights might not be respected. As a result, you might not get the compensation you deserve for your accident-related expenses.
We know what’s at stake at Gill, Welsh, and Chamberlain, P.A., and we are here to help you find your way forward. We know Delaware’s laws. We understand how the legal system works here. And we know how to build strong cases that get meaningful results.
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