American teenagers are constantly looking for ways to assert their independence from their parents and guidance. One such way young people do this is by becoming teenage drivers early on. Although there’s nothing wrong with legal teenage driving, statistics show that many American teenagers are responsible for a significant number of car accidents on American roads.
The high teenage accident trend is worrisome because they aren’t even the majority of drivers on US roads. However, you can get into a Georgia car crash and discover the other driver is a teen. In such instances, you may get confused as to your next steps.
Therefore, it’ll be best to hire an Atlanta car accident lawyer. If the attorney has significant experience, they’ll know whether and how you can get damages from the teenager.
How Many Car Crashes Are Caused by Teenagers?
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), car accidents were the leading cause of death among female teenagers. Moreover, it was one of the leading causes of death among teenage males. These statistics were analyzed from data they collected from the US Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Unfortunately, the data showed that teenage drivers caused the highest passenger vehicle deaths in 2019. Responsible for 479 deaths, teens aged 13-19 caused 57% of all US passenger vehicle deaths. Moving on to other fatality figures, in 2019, 7% of all crash deaths were teenagers at 2,375 casualties.
These fatalities involved pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and all-terrain vehicle riders. Furthermore, teens driving made up about 55% of the deaths. Therefore, one would think that as teens grow, they’ll become less likely to cause crashes. However, the reverse is the case because the highest teenage driver collisions were by 19-year-old teens.
Which Teenagers Are More at Risk of Accidents?
According to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) breakdown, the following classes of teens are more prone to accidents:
- Males (2 of every three teenagers who died in vehicle collisions were male)
- Teenagers driving with other teen passengers
- Newly licensed teens
Why Are Many Teenagers Causing Accidents?
That’s the golden question. What factors are responsible for such a high rate of accidents by teenage drivers? Fortunately, the CDC also listed the factors responsible for these many accidents to include:
- Inexperience
- Ignoring seat belts
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
It would appear that alcohol is a significant causative agent for teen drivers. For instance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), 16% of teenagers involved in fatal collisions in 2019 were alcohol-impaired.
Who Is Liable for Teenage Drivers Accidents in Georgia?
Since teenagers are sometimes minors, the issue of liability for teenage crashes often arises. However, responsibility is often a straightforward issue. We mean that many times, the parents of the erring teenager are responsible for the accident damages. Therefore, you usually don’t have to deal with teenagers.
Two legal doctrines apply here.
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Negligent Entrustment
This legal principle makes Atlanta parents liable for crashes their teenagers cause if they knew or ought to have known that the teen was a danger to other road users. For instance, this rule would apply where the child has a history of reckless driving. Furthermore, the parents will be negligently responsible where they let their inexperienced teen drive their vehicle.
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The Family Purpose Doctrine
This legal rule is based on vicarious liability. So, it views teenagers as their parents’ agents. Consequently, the parents will be liable where a teenager causes a crash while out for a family purpose.
For instance, where a teen gets in an accident while buying family groceries, the parents will bear the responsibility. Finally, many teenagers have car insurance from their parents. So if you get into a crash with one, you wouldn’t lack possible damage recovery options.
Atlanta’s Best Car Accident Lawyers Can Represent You If a Teenager Hits You!
Did a teenager crash into your car and cause you injuries or property damage? If you answer in the affirmative, you must be wondering if the teen can even make good your losses. However, you don’t have to worry because you can still recover the financial compensation you deserve. This can be possible with the best Atlanta car accident lawyers.
Our attorneys at Calvin Smith Law have represented Atlanta car accident victims against various fault parties. So, handling a case involving a teenager wouldn’t be an issue. We have all the resources to identify the proper party to proceed against and get you damages. Therefore, it’ll be best to call us today for a free consultation on your case.
