Helping seriously injury victims of car accidents across Florida, including those in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Plantation, Naples, the Palm Beaches and the Florida Keys.
As all parents know, one of the most stressful times in your life is when your teenager gets their license and starts driving. There are literally dangers at every turn when an inexperienced driver gets behind the wheel of a 4,000 pound vehicle. As car accidents are the leading cause of all teenage deaths, preventing teenage motor vehicle accidents is of the foremost importance. Teen age drivers are ten times more likely to have a car accident during their first year of driving.
Studies indicate that teenage drivers are 300 percent more likely to be involved in a Miami car accident fatality than older drivers. Those statistics mean last year alone, teen age drivers were involved in almost 1,000,000 car accidents across America, resulting in nearly 400,000 injuries and 3,000 wrongful deaths. Practically speaking, over 1,000 teenagers are injured in a car accident every day. Sadly, Florida car accident attorney Joseph Lipsky has represented too many families who have lost a loved due to the recklessness of a teenage driver; and, has unfortunately represented families who have themselves lost a teenager in car accidents across Florida including Miami, Weston, Pembroke Pines and Boca Raton.
The reasons so many teenage drivers are injured in Fort Lauderdale car accidents are numerous. First, research by the Centers for Disease Control and Mothers Against Drunk Driving indicate teenage driver are more prone to speeding that older drivers. Exceeding the safe speed limit resulted in almost 20,000 traffic deaths over the past decade. Teenage boys are thirty percent more likely as compared to teenage girls to be in a car accident caused by speeding. It is imperative that teenagers understand the stopping distance needed to properly control their vehicle; and how speed shortens reaction time, which leads to more car accidents.
The next most frequent cause of teenage car accidents is underage drinking. Studies show that almost 25% of all teenage drivers involved in a fatal car accident had consumed alcohol. This significant underage drinking and driving causes nearly 5,000 wrongful death annually. Incredibly, teenagers are 17 times more likely to die in a car accident if they have a blood alcohol level of .08, which is Florida’s limit for legal aged adults.
The next factor which contributes to fatal teenage car accidents is the time of day they are driving. The rate of Miami teenage car accident fatalities is 400% greater for 16-year-old drivers at night rather than during the day, with most of those deadly car accidents happening between the hours of 9 p.m. and midnight. This drastic rise in night time deadly Palm Beach teenage car accidents can be attributed to driver fatigue and lack of experience with low visibility driving.
The next contributing factor in teenage driving car accidents is the one most people assume is actually the primary cause of teenage driving accidents, cellphone use. Not surprisingly, almost 15 percent of all Florida teenage driving crashes are due to distracted driving. Studies show that the likelihood of having a Florida car accident is 400% greater whenever a driver is using a cell phone. Despite these known dangers, teenage drivers regularly admit to texting, using Instagram, Snapchat or emailing while they are behind the wheel.
Finally, proper and constant seatbelt use is a proven way to prevent traffic fatalities. Considering teenage driver consistently have the lowest seatbelt usage rate, and that well over half of all teenagers who lose their lives in a car accident do not use a seatbelt, teaching them to always use their seatbelt, whether they are a driver or a passenger, is more than prudent, its life saving.
Florida car accident lawyer Joseph Lipsky has helped seriously injured victims of teenage driving car accidents for more than 25 years. If you or a family member were injured by the negligence of a teenage driver, or if your teenage driver was injured in a car accident, we ask you to contact us ONLINE OR CALL us at:
Toll Free at (888) FLA-LAW8
(954) 693-0073 (Broward)
(305) 821-7333 (Miami-Dade)
(561) 514-3535 (Palm Beaches) or
(305) 296-6300 (Florida Keys)
to schedule your FREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION. The call and personal injury consultation are FREE, so do not delay in calling to find out about your legal rights.