As car accident lawyers, we are very concerned by nationwide statistics regarding teen drivers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds is motor vehicle crashes. Sixteen year-old drivers have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age and are three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average driver. Of the teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes in recent years, about 2 out 3 were males. In 2009, 83% of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths were passenger vehicle occupants and drivers ages 15-20 accounted for 12% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes and 14% of all drivers involved in police-reported crashes. The months of June and August appear to have the highest numbers of teenage crash deaths.
There are many reasons for such frightening statistics. There is the issue of general driver inexperience. Add to that the fact that teens are more likely to use cell phones and that teens often drive at too high a rate of speed, and the statistics begin to make more sense. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 37% of male drivers ages 15-20 involved in fatal crashes were speeding. But it isn’t just speed that increases the rate of mortality. Surprisingly, 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger according to the IIHS.
The Colorado Fatality Analysis Reporting System found that for the year 2008, 25% of teens ages 15-20 who died in car crashes in Colorado were riding with teen drivers ages 15-17. However, there may be reason to hope that fatality statistics for Colorado teen drivers will decrease. The CDOT reports that 48 people ages 15-20 died in Colorado car crashes during 2008, which is a decrease of 54% from 2003. Many attribute this to Colorado’s Graduated Drivers License program. In July 1999, Colorado approved a Graduated Drivers License law which requires teenagers who want to obtain a drivers license to go through three stages: obtaining an instruction permit, obtaining a minor license, and then obtaining a full drivers license.
There are other programs aimed at teen drivers, including the “Alive at 25” program. “Alive at 25” aims to provide teen and young adult drivers with skills and experience which will enable them to become better drivers. Alive at 25 is a defensive driving course which encourages young drivers to take responsibility of their driving behavior. An important aspect of the Alive at 25 program is that makes young drivers aware of highway accident data, why they are at higher risk, and the grave risks of using drugs and alcohol while driving. The car accident attorneys at the Werner Law Firm want to help young drivers stay safe. That is why the Werner Law Firm offers an Alive at 25 course scholarship. Young drivers can fill out an application on line at http://www.thewernerlawfirm.com/alive-at-25-scholarship/. Each month, two applicants will be randomly chosen to receive an Alive at 25 Defensive Driving Course Scholarship. For every teen driver who is made more aware of how they must take responsibility for their driving, a life may be saved.
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