Teen drivers involved in many fatal motor vehicle accidents

There are numerous dangers on the road in Washington, and research shows that teen drivers are a major one. According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, almost two-thirds of those who are injured or die in a car accident with a teen driver are people other than the teen. In 2013, accidents involving a teen driver injured more than 371,600 people and killed more than 2,900.

The study analyzed police reports from 1994 to 2013 of drivers between the ages of 15 and 19. The report found that about 66 percent of fatalities and 67 percent of those injured in teen crashes were people other than the teen driver. About 30 percent of fatalities were occupants of another car, while 27 percent were the passengers in the teen’s vehicle.

Although AAA says that crashes involving teens have decreased in the past two decades, thanks to better safe driving education programs, the most fatalities tend to occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day, since this is the period when teens are most on the road. In 2013 alone, the agency said that there was a 43 percent increase in teen driver and passenger fatalities during the summer months in comparison to the rest of the year.

Those who are injured or suffer the loss of a loved one in a crash may want to speak to a lawyer about filing a claim for compensation. A legal professional experienced in handling fatal motor vehicle accident cases can help an individual gather all of the necessary documentation to file a claim against the responsible party. Depending on the evidence, an injured victim may receive compensation for damages like lost wages, medical costs, and pain and suffering.