On Saturday, October 6, 2018, a high school student in Afton, TN was killed in a motor vehicle accident while riding in a Jeep with a fellow teenager. The crash, which occurred early in the morning, was caused when the 19-year-old driver drifted off of the left side of the road and hit an embankment, sending the vehicle airborne. The 16-year-old passenger was fatally injured during the accident, while the driver was airlifted to a nearby hospital after being cut out of the vehicle by emergency responders. For parents throughout the state of Tennessee, the accident served as a reminder of the dangers teenagers face every time they get behind the wheel of a car. If your teenage driver is injured in a motor vehicle collision, it may be time to seek out legal representation.
Teenage Car Accidents Nationwide
Every year, thousands of American teens die in motor vehicle collisions. In 2015 alone, over 2,300 teenagers died in automobile accidents across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an additional 235,845 teenagers were hospitalized due to injuries suffered in car accidents throughout 2015. In all, approximately six teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 die each day in motor vehicle accidents.
Why So Many Teenage Fatalities?
With the overwhelming number of teenage fatalities on American roadways, it is hard not to ask the question: Why do teenagers face increased risk? The simple answer is that they routinely drive irresponsibly. Teenagers are much more likely to drive while distracted (cell phones and other electronic devices are the leading cause of distracted driving), drive at dangerous speeds, and drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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