Laredo car accident lawyer explains why Texas teens cause collisions
Teen drivers in Texas cause an alarming number of car accidents, according to a recent study conducted by Zutobi, which ranked Texas the ninth worst state in the country for fatal car crashes caused by teenage drivers.
So, why are accidents caused by teen drivers so common in Texas? What are some of the most common causes of such collisions? Unfortunately, some of the answers will likely come as no surprise to many drivers in Texas.
John R. Solis, Attorney at Law in Laredo knows all too well the damage that young drivers can cause on our roads. That’s why we want to help you if you or a loved one was involved in a collision caused by a teen driver.
4 common causes of teen driving accidents
Zutobi studied car accident data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) between 1982 to 2020. Based on that data, Zutobi identified the 10 deadliest states for collisions caused by teen drivers.
Texas had the ninth most fatal car accidents caused by teen drivers. Specifically, teenage drivers in Texas caused 31.77 deaths per 100,000 people. Zutobi also identified several common causes of collisions caused by young drivers. Based on their research and our legal experience, here are five of the most common causes of teen driving accidents.
1) Speeding
Accidents caused by speeding drivers have long been a problem in Texas for all drivers. However, in 2020, the state set a record for speeding-related deaths with 1,446 traffic fatalities due to speeding drivers, the most in Texas in a single year in the past decade, according to the NHTSA. But teen drivers are even more deadly when they drive too fast. One study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) found that 43 percent of fatal car accidents caused by teen drivers involved speeding versus 30 percent of fatal collisions caused by drivers of all other ages.
2) Drinking and driving
Adults under 21 years old are not allowed to drink alcohol in Texas. But that doesn’t stop many underage drivers from drinking and driving. In 2020, teen drivers under the influence of alcohol caused 523 fatal drunk driving accidents across the country. And a recent study by CoPilot found that Texas was ranked the 8th worst state in the country for underage drunk driving.
3) Texting while driving
Texas has very strict laws when it comes to drivers under 18 years old operating a cellphone while driving. Not only are drivers under 18 years old not allowed to text and drive, but Texas also prohibits young drivers from using any handheld electronic devices while driving, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. This is because texting while driving can easily distract young, inexperienced drivers, resulting in a collision.
4) Distracted driving
Cellphones are not the only things that can distract young drivers. Several studies have shown that having other teenagers in a vehicle while a teenager is driving can distract the driver and dramatically increase the likelihood of a car crash if there are two or more teenage passengers in a car driven by a teenager, the odds of the young driver causing a collision increase by three times, according to the NHTSA.
How a Laredo car accident attorney can help you
Don’t assume that you will be fairly compensated just because a young driver caused your collision. Unfortunately, many straightforward crashes quickly turn into complicated legal cases. This is why it’s critical that injury victims fully understand their legal rights.
An experienced Laredo car accident lawyer at John R. Solis, Attorney at Law can help you every step of the way. We know how the legal system works in Texas and can work with you to build a strong legal case.
Contact our law firm and schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Laredo car accident attorney you can trust. We have years of experience handling complex injury claims and lawsuits throughout Texas.