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The 100 deadliest days and what parents of teen drivers can do

On Behalf of | Nov 3, 2020 | Auto, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents

The roads around New York can be dangerous for drivers, especially inexperienced teen drivers. Drivers from the age 16 to 17 are three times likelier to be in a fatal crash than are adults.

Perhaps you or your teenage son or daughter was in an accident. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but there are mounting medical bills to deal with as well as lost wages and pain and suffering. You may be able to file a personal injury claim if the losses cannot be covered by your own insurer.

Teen drivers and negligence

The other side may put up a strong defense, though, especially if it was your teen who was driving. Teens are notorious for being negligent or reckless drivers, and a recent Traffic Safety Culture Index from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows what unsafe actions are most common among them.

In the survey, 72% of respondents aged 16 to18 said they were unsafe drivers in the past 30 days. Of these, 87% mentioned speeding: 47% in a residential area and 40% on the freeway. This was followed by texting at 35% of respondents, running a red light at 32%, aggressive driving at 31% and drowsy driving at 25%. Seventeen percent admitted to not wearing their seat belt.

Preparing for the 100 deadliest days

Teen driving crash fatalities rise each year between Memorial Day and Labor Day: what safety experts call the “100 deadliest days.” Between 2008 and 2018, there were over 8,300 such fatalities during this period. Why is it important to know this now? As the parent of a teen, you may have a lot of work to do before May.

Parents are expected to encourage and instruct their teens so that they become safer drivers. AAA recommends having at least 50 hours of coaching sessions before the 100 deadliest days. That’s a lot of time spent driving around with your child. Since they may not be spending as much time with their friends right now, this is the best time to get this one-on-one time in. Also, another recommendation is setting up a parent-teen driving agreement.

A lawyer focusing on personal injury cases

Under this state’s personal injury law, you may be eligible for compensation even when you are partially at fault. Of course, the damages you recover will be proportioned to that degree of fault. By hiring a lawyer who focuses solely on personal injury cases, you may be able to seek out the maximum possible settlement.

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