Teen drivers in New Jersey may pose a greater risk to themselves and also to others on the road – especially if they drive when accompanied only by other teens. These were the findings of new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, released in October 2018 for National Teen Driver Safety Week. The study found that when teen drivers were accompanied by teen passengers, the fatality rate for all people involved in a collision escalated by 51 percent.
On the other hand, the fatality rate declined by 8 percent when teen drivers were accompanied by passengers aged 35 or older. AAA urged more training and supervised driving hours for teen drivers in order to help them get through periods of inexperience with the help of more experienced drivers. In 2016, there were over 1 million auto accidents across the country involving teenage drivers. Over 3,200 people lost their lives in these crashes.
Fatalities escalated for all parties when teen drivers were accompanied by other teens only, especially for people in other vehicles involved in a car accident. The fatality rate rose the most – 56 percent – for occupants of other cars. Pedestrians and cyclists faced a fatality rate that was escalated by 17 percent. Even more, teen drivers themselves were also 45 percent more likely to die in this kind of crash. Other factors were also linked to increased crash fatality rates, including speeding and nighttime driving.
Teen drivers are inexperienced, a factor that contributes to lessened ability to handle emergency situations. However, drivers of all ages can cause severe accidents and the injuries, disabilities and deaths that follow. A personal injury lawyer might be able to help people injured in a car crash caused by someone else’s negligent driving to pursue compensation for their damages, including medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.