With the summer months and the end of school, there will be a greater number of cars in general on the road and especially more younger drivers. Those on the road in Montana must be cognizant of the dangers that young and inexperienced drivers present. A study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates just how dangerous younger drivers are. Drivers age 16-17 were found to be nine times as likely to be in a car accident. They were three times as likely to be in a fatal car accident. In six out of 10 of these accidents, teens driving while distracted was a factor.
The number of accidents involving these younger drivers spikes from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The lack of experience and more of these drivers being on the road can be a lethal combination. The authors of the study conducted an analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for accidents that were reported to the police. The number rose by nearly 5 percent from 2014 to 2015. The number of fatal accidents rose by 9 percent.
Drivers 16-17 who had a fatal accident rose by more than 10 percent in that time. It also found the following for this age group compared with others: they were 9 times as likely to be in a collision when compared with those 18 or older; they were 6 times as likely to be in a fatal accident when compared with those 18 or older; they were 5 times as likely to be in an accident when compared with people age 30-59; and they were 2 times as likely to be in a fatal accident compared with people age 30-59. As stated above, these younger drivers frequently drive while distracted. 30 percent of that fatal crashes involved driving at excessive speeds.
When there is a car accident, those who were involved must be aware of the potential long and short-term consequences they will face including hospitalization, lost time at work, surgical procedures, rehabilitation and other expensive matters. It can also affect a family. Suffering serious injury or losing a loved one in an auto accident has extensive ramifications. Often, the only way to move forward is through a legal filing. Having legal assistance from an attorney experienced in an accident investigation and pursuing damages is vital to filing a case.
