New Jersey parents of teenage drivers should be aware that the American Automobile Association designates the period between Memorial Day and the start of the new school year as the “100 Deadliest Days.” Based on figures from the last several years, it is predicted that around 1,000 people will die in motor vehicle accidents involving teen drivers in that time period during 2016.
In more than half of the crashes, driver distraction is an issue. One study reviewed the last six seconds of more than 2,000 crashes using dash-camera videos and found that using a cellphone, including texting and driving, was a factor in 12 percent of the crashes. In 15 percent of the crashes, the driver was talking to someone else in the car, and the driver was attending to something else in the vehicle in 11 percent.
Multiple studies have found that teens use their phones a great deal and that this includes talking, texting and using social media while driving. In 2014, drivers in the 16-24 age range were seen using phones more than four times as often as they were in 2007. Many safety advocates have expressed concern about the growing use of phones while driving by teen drivers and the increased risk this represents.
People who are injured in a motor vehicle accident that was caused by the negligence of a driver of any age might want to contact an attorney to discuss their options. The results of such an accident can be both expensive and life-changing. If insurance companies do not offer a sufficient settlement amount to cover an injured person’s expenses, the attorney might suggest the filing of a lawsuit that would seek appropriate compensation from the at-fault motorist.
