Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Teen Drivers: Leading Cause of Preadolescent Death
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers and tweens (the stage be tween middle childhood and adolescence in human development, generally in the age range of 10 to 12 years of age, also known as Preadolescence).
Top Risk Factors for Accident Fatalities in Teens and Tweens
Riding unbuckled with new teen drivers on high-speed roads are the three biggest risk factors contributing to car crash deaths for passengers aged 8 to 17.
While young drivers have higher chances of dying, more than half — 54 percent — were riding with a teen driver. Drivers younger than 16 are the most dangerous.
Other dangerous circumstances for young passengers include:
- drunk drivers,
- male teen drivers, and
- driving on weekends.
How Parents Can Prevent Teen Accident Deaths
The message for parents is simple and sobering:
- Don't let your teen ride with a teen driver who has less than a year's experience driving.
- Insist on seat belts.
- And practice ways teens can resist peer pressure to ride with other teens.
Child Accident Fatality Statistics
Researchers from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia examined national data on serious car crashes including those resulting in death between 2000 and 2005. During that time, 2.5 million children aged 8 to 17 were involved in crashes; 9,807 of them died.
The risk of death for kids riding with drivers aged 16 to 19 was at least double that of those riding with drivers aged 25 and older. There were about two deaths per 1,000 crashes for young passengers with 25-plus drivers, versus more than four deaths in the younger group. Recent federal data indicate that the percentage of U.S. 16-year-olds with driver's licenses has fallen since 1998 (from roughly 44 percent to about 30 percent), during a time when restrictions on teen driving generally increased.
If your child, tween or teenager has been involved in an auto accident at the hand of a teenage driver, please contact the Boston car accident lawyer, Thomas Kiley, to discuss the legal aspects of your case.
Call 1-888-208-1695 to schedule a Free Consultation today.
