Teenagers may be among the most dangerous drivers on the roads. The number of accidents involving teenagers ranks higher than other age demographics. Young drivers may need to exercise additional caution when driving to avoid involvement in a Virginia collision.
Teen accident stats
Teen drivers only comprise about 3.7% of all motorists, but they cause roughly three times the fatal collisions than persons in their 20s. Several factors contribute to why teen drivers become involved in many accidents. Teenagers may take to the wheel with great enthusiasm once they start driving. Enthusiasm does not translate into safe practices, and many teen drivers could find themselves involved in an accident. Sometimes, they may be at fault, or they may be victims.
Teenage drivers might behave appropriately behind the wheel, but their lack of experience could get them into trouble. Someone not used to driving may become disoriented or distracted when weather or road conditions become problematic. Also, defensive driving skills become necessary to deal with others on the road who disregard safety.
Teens and crashes
A teenager might not realize that certain behaviors could lead to car accidents. While someone might not think eating behind the wheel is a big deal, deadly collisions have happened when hands, eyes and attention are not where they are supposed to be. Teens might find themselves addicted to texting and social media, and hands-free voice-operated systems provide easy access to them while driving. However, consequences likely follow when distractions cause crashes.
If a teenager causes an accident, legal action could follow. Parents who gave a teenager permission to drive their car might face a claim. Insurance might cover the losses, but the policy might not cover punitive damages, as might be the case when reckless behaviors, such as intoxicated driving, cause a collision.