The most inexperienced drivers on the road, teenagers are also more likely to be involved in car accidents, especially those involving risky behaviors such as texting and driving or drinking and driving. Despite educational campaigns and a drinking age set at age 21 nationwide, teenagers continue to be involved in such accidents in alarming numbers.
Each year, more than 2,000 underage drivers across the nation are killed in accidents in which they were legally drunk at the time. Underage drivers are responsible for 17 percent of all fatal drunk driving accidents in the country, and many of those teens have blood alcohol concentrations of five times the legal limit. Part of the problem is teens tend to believe nothing bad will happen to them, and they are also more likely to binge drink than are those who are older and more experienced.
Even more problematic are teenagers who text and drive. This type of behavior claims the lives of more than 3,000 teenagers annually in the U.S. Studies have demonstrated that those who text and drive are 23 times more likely than others to cause a car accident. It is important for parents to educate their teens about the dangers of such risky driving practices.
A teenager who causes an accident due to drunk driving or to texting and driving may be held responsible for the damages caused to others through a personal injury lawsuit. In some cases, the parents may be named as defendants as well. Through a lawsuit, injured victims may be able to recover damages to compensate them for their economic and noneconomic losses. Injured victims may want to seek the help of an attorney in this regard.
