Local Wreck Reminds Us of Dangers of Teen Driving

Jason Knowles — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:59:55 GMT

Last week near Gadsden, Alabama a 20-year-old driver of a Jeep died in a head-on automobile collision with a Honda Accord driven by a 16-year-old. The driver of the Accord, along with her 14-year-old passenger, were seriously injured. The 24-year-old driver of the Jeep, as well as a 19-year-old passenger, were also seriously injured in the accident. (See the story in The Gadsden Times, August 6, 2009)

Accidents such as this remind us of the dangers associated with teen aged driving. According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2005, 12 teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. According to the CDC, although young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of such costs among females. Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are males, teens driving with teen passengers, and newly licensed teens. The CDC has found that, compared to older drivers, teens are more likely to speed, more likely to underestimate dangerous conditions, less likely to wear seatbelts, and more susceptible to the effects of alcohol or drugs.

Fortunately, there are proven methods to helping teens become safer drivers. For example, research compiled by the CDC suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers. Simply put, graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. For more information about GDL systems, see the Teens Behind the Wheel: Graduated Licensing fact sheet.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jason Knowles

Two Dead in Jefferson County Crashes

Jon Lewis — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:40:00 GMT

On Saturday, August 27, 2009, the Birmingham News reported two wrecks which killed two people. The first involved a motorcycle and a pickup truck. This occurred on Second Avenue North in Jefferson County, Alabama. According to the News, the pickup truck driver did not see the motorcyclist and turned left in front of him.

How do these happen? Typically, motorcyclists are very careful drivers (not always, but in many cases). The problem, however, is motorists do not see motorcyclists. Given their small size and, many times, dark colors, cars have difficulty seeing them. Usually, the motorcycles have to have their headlight on. I'm not sure about this situation given the story, but what we need to learn from this is people need to be more careful when they are on the roads because motorcyclists and bicyclists have just as much right to the road as cars and trucks.

The second death occurred when a woman was getting her mail in Grayson Valley. An SUV collided with a car, flipped, and hit the woman. This collision happened on Watson Road. The drivers of both vehicles were sixteen years of age. Apparently, the driver of the car didn't see the SUV and pulled out in front of it.

What can we take from this collision? Maybe teenagers need more training before we give them the keys to a car. Many states have differing laws for teenage drivers. Some have to continue their training after getting their license. Some states don't allow teenagers to drive at night. With cell phones and texting proliferating, it is inevitable that teenagers will use poor judgment and use those devices in their cars. How can we stop that? I'm not saying that that was the cause of this fatality, but it is sure to happen in the future, and we need to consider these issues.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jon Lewis

Alabama Personal Injury Blog - Teenage Drivers

Local Wreck Reminds Us of Dangers of Teen Driving

Two Dead in Jefferson County Crashes