Reckless driving applies to any age group, typically however, it’s our young driver’s that concern us most. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that in 2009, over 3,000 teens, age 15-19, were fatally injured in car accidents, and another 350,000 were treated for automobile injuries. An even more startling automobile accident statistic by the CDC claims that, though people ages 15-24 account for just 14% of the population, they account for 30% of the total costs of injuries from car accidents among males, and 28% among females, culminating a whopping total of $26 billion annually. So what causes this vast discrepancy in teenage driving risks versus the rest of the population? The CDC provides an extensive list of teen car accident factors to explain this phenomenon; here are a few of the most important:

1. Teens are more likely to speed: In 2005, 37% of fatal car crashes involving 15-20 year olds were due to speeding. The presence of male teenage passengers increases this likelihood according to a study on the observed effects of teenage passengers on the risky driving behavior of teenage drivers.

2. Teens have the lowest rate of seatbelt use: a 2005 study confirmed that roughly 10% of teens admitted to rarely or never wearing a seat-belt, that percentage was even higher for male participants.

3. Teens are more likely to be in an accident at any BAC level: the CDC confirms that any elevated level of blood alcohol puts teens at a greater risk of a car accident than the rest of the population. Twenty-five percent of drivers age 15-20 who died in a car accident in 2008 had BAC levels of .08 or higher.

4. Teens are more likely to be in a car accident on the weekend: A 2008 study found that 56% of teenage fatal car accidents occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Fortunately, there is hope for teen drivers. Research suggests that 16-year-olds who enrolled in comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs slashed their risk of getting in an automobile accident by as much as 40%. An automobile accident can strike anyone at any time, not just teens. Should you, a child or a friend need a car accident attorney, call an attorney in buffalo from a law firm with over 100 years of combined personal injury experience. Call James Morris Law, 716-855-1118.