June 20, 2019
Since summers are most commonly associated with barbeques and white pants, Chicago residents may be surprised to hear that the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is commonly referred to as the 100 deadliest days because of the number of car accidents that take place in them. These months are dangerous for all drivers, but more so for teens.
With more teens on the roads, it is more likely that they would become involved in a crash. At the same time, their inexperience is also a contributing factor to accidents. Their lack of driving experience means they are slower to recognize a potential risk and respond to it accordingly.
They are also more likely to engage in dangerous behavior, such as texting and driving. Lastly, poor decision making skills means they are likely to get behind the wheel after having a few alcoholic drinks. They are also cited more often for failing to adhere to basic traffic safety rules, such as stopping at stop signs and red lights.
These factors all play a role in the increasing number of crash fatalities involving teens since 2014. In 2014, 640 teen drivers died, compared to 736 in 2017. However, it is not only teen motorists at risk on the streets-statistics show that two-thirds of the fatalities are people other than the teen driver.
It is a tragic reality that a driver can do everything right on the road and yet still become injured in a serious car accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Car accident victims sustain serious injuries in crashes and require extensive medical treatment to recover. These costs and other associated ones may be recovered through a personal injury lawsuit.
