The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers. It comes as no surprise that many parents in Colorado are looking for ways of keeping their teenagers safe behind the wheel. Information about the reasons behind the statistics and safety precautions is a service provided by the CDC, but understanding the scope of the problem is the first step.
In 2011, 2,650 youths between the ages of 16 and 19 were killed in motor vehicle accidents, and around 292,000 people in that age group required a visit to an emergency room after such an accident. A closer look at how age impacts motor vehicle accidents shows that the first few months after obtaining a license are particularly deadly and made more so by teens who drive with other teenage passengers.
Education about the risk factors is an important step for parents. Besides age, inexperience and passengers, teens are prone to the dangerous behavior of texting and driving. A distracted driver, regardless of the reason, poses a greater threat on the road. Other forms of negligence include reckless, drowsy and impaired driving.
With an understanding of risks involved, parents can impose rules and provide education to protect young drivers. The threat of motor vehicle accidents is still a present one for all drivers. These may result in medical expenses and lost wages for those who are injured. Depending on the severity of the damages, an insurance settlement may prove insufficient to cover all the bills and emotional costs. In such an event, an injured victim may want to consider the filing of a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party with the assistance of an attorney.