Teen Driving Car Accidents
Young drivers pose a serious risk to other road users. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that young drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident than motorists aged twenty or older. And because they’re also prone to high-risk behaviors like speeding and aggressive driving, the accidents they cause are often especially devastating, leaving victims with painful injuries, expensive medical and repair bills, and lost wages from being unable to work.
If you’ve been the victim of a car crash caused by a teen driver, the experienced personal injury attorney at Silkman Law can help you demand compensation for the losses you’ve experienced. We understand the unique risk factors involved in these crashes and the complex insurance issues that may be in play. Contact us today to speak with a Phoenix car accident lawyer about your case and find out what we can do to help.
Teen Driving: Statistics and Factors
The number of teens killed in car accidents yearly is a staggering 2,800, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. A further 227,000 are injured in car accidents each year. To put this another way, eight teenagers are fatal car accident victims each day, while hundreds more are injured. For teens, the chances of dying in a car accident are considerably worse than for any other drivers under 80, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
And when it comes to the question of who is more likely to get in a car accident: teens or other drivers? The answer is teens, by far. In fact, the IIHS found that a 16-year-old is about 50 percent likelier to be in a car crash than a 19-year-old, who is in turn almost three times likelier to be in a crash than a 25-year-old driver. As these figures show, your odds of a car accident are higher if you encounter a teen driver on the road.
Why is this the case? Because teenagers combine inexperience with recklessness in a uniquely dangerous blend. The frontal cortex, the part of the brain that regulates impulsivity and self-control, doesn’t fully develop until the mid-20s . Because of this, teen drivers cannot fully predict how their actions on the road will impact others. For example, teenagers often underestimate how dangerous distracted driving or texting and driving is and overestimate their ability to multitask behind the wheel.
This dynamic, coupled with their inexperience with operating the car and anticipating changes in traffic flow, means teens pose a serious risk on the road. For young drivers, the high-risk years are 15-18.
So, what are the chances of getting in a car accident with a Phoenix teen driver? Here are some startling statistics from recent teenage driving accident articles by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
- Males account for two-thirds of all teen driving accident fatalities
- 78 percent of teenage crash deaths in a recent year were passenger vehicle occupants
- Car crashes are the leading cause of death for girls 13-19
- The highest percentage of seatbelt-less drivers and passengers are teens
Teenage drunk driving accounts for about 25% of all accidents involving teen drivers, according to the Arizona State Troopers Association . Finally, where do most car accidents happen? According to recent medical studies, nearly 90 percent of car accident injuries are sustained within ten miles of the driver’s home.
Legally Reviewed By:
Alex Silkman
Alex Silkman is the founder and managing member of Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer. He focuses exclusively on personal injury and wrongful death cases, with the goal of getting truly just results for accident victims and their families...
Understanding Your Rights as a Victim
What happens if a new driver has an accident? Your rights as the injured party don’t change with the defendant’s age. If the teen driver caused the collision, the insurance policy covering their car should pay for the harm you suffered, including medical bills, time missed at work, and property damage.
Most teen drivers are covered under a parent’s auto policy, so expect the teen’s parent to be involved in the process. If the teen is under eighteen (a legal minor), their parents are also liable for any accident the teen causes. The child’s guardian’s insurance policy should cover the damage, but if there isn’t insurance coverage, the guardian could be personally liable.
As the victim, you have the right to file a claim against the teen driver’s insurance carrier and file a lawsuit if the insurance company denies or tries to minimize your claim.
Establishing liability when a teen driver causes an accident involves proving that the teenager was responsible for driving safely but did not do so. To that end, your lawyer will investigate the circumstances of the crash. They may subpoena cell phone records of the driver to see if they were on their phone while driving. They could interview witnesses, like the driver’s passengers, for more information about whether the teen driver was speeding, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or otherwise behaving recklessly.
Other potentially valuable evidence might include the following:
- Police accident reports
- Traffic camera footage
- Accident reconstructions
- Expert testimony
Because minors cannot be sued in Arizona civil court, the first hurdle your lawyer has to overcome is to determine the child’s legal guardian and name them as a defendant under vicarious liability.
Otherwise, filing a claim against the at-fault driver proceeds much the same as if the driver was over 18. You would typically:
Auto mechanics may have liability for negligent maintenance that contributes to a rear-end collision, while vehicle or auto part manufacturers may similarly have liability for design or manufacturing defects.
- Call the police at the scene to report the accident.
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- Inform your insurance carrier.
- File a claim against the other driver’s insurance company.
Finally, contact a car accident lawyer with experience handling teen driving accidents, like those at Silkman Law. Our legal team understands the nuances of vicarious liability and how to build a strong case for maximum compensation for your losses.
Depending on the harm you suffered in the crash, you could be owed compensation for the following:
- All necessary medical care, including surgeries, hospital stays, and physical therapy
- Medications and durable medical devices
- Lost wages from time missed at work
- Property damage, such as the cost to repair or replace your car
- Any transportation accommodations, like a rental car or ridesharing fees
- Mileage for trips to and from the doctor
Your Phoenix car accident attorney can tally your expenses to determine the total economic cost of your injuries. Additionally, their experience handling such claims will help them put a price tag on the more subjective harm you experienced because of the accident, such as pain and suffering and diminished quality of life.
