Parents be aware while driving. Your teens are watching.

Throughout the nation there is a perception that teen drivers are some of the most irresponsible on the roads. This is due in large part to their propensity to engage in dangerous and distracted driving and is backed-up by facts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that teens between the ages of 16 and 19 most often meet premature deaths in car crashes. Individuals in that age range are four times more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents than older drivers.

More than half of the teens recently surveyed indicated that they do things while driving that are not smart. This is probably not surprising. What is surprising is the reason provided for the behavior. A majority of the 1,700 teen drivers who participated in the survey indicated they saw the same behavior displayed by their parents.

The survey that provided this information was conducted at the behest of both Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions (also known as SADD). Teens who participated in the survey admitted to doing some of the most common distracting behaviors–talking on their cellphone and speeding.

Of course drivers of all ages are involved in motor vehicle accidents each day. When someone suffers an injury or dies in an accident that was caused by another’s negligence, a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit may be appropriate. While criminal proceedings of course play a role in punishing individuals who have caused a car accident by doing something illegal, civil lawsuits such as these can provide financial damages to the injured person or his or her loved ones.

Source: CNN, “Survey: Teens who drive dangerously learn from mom and dad,” Todd Sperry, Sept. 21, 2012

  • Car accidents can result in serious injuries. Our law firm handles case in which someone is hurt in a collision. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Miami car accident page.