Child Passenger Dies When Teen Driver Loses Control On Ice
Child Fatality
As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I regularly speak in public on issues related to highway safety as well as Tennessee automobile accident litigation. One of the main topics I address with lay audiences is teen driving safety. Yesterday I read an article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal reporting on a tragic car/school bus accident which claimed the life of a 9-year-old girl who was a passenger in a car driving by her 17-year-old sister. The article reported that the 17-year-old driver hit a patch of ice, spun out of control and slammed into a school bus. The driver is hospitalized in serious condition but no one on the bus was hurt.
Younger drivers, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), agree that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rate for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious. Teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by experienced drivers, furthermore they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, which contribute to the increased death rate.
Tennessee parents play a key role in helping teens become good drivers. Parents should not rely solely on drivers education classes to teach good driving habits and should restrict night driving, restrict the numbers of passengers riding with their teen, supervise practice driving, always require use of seat belts and choose vehicles for safety, not image. Parents can also set a good example by practicing safe driving techniques themselves.
As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer I have seen far too many Tennessee teen deaths and I strongly encourage parents to be realistic about the skills and propensities of their children. If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville car crash you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.
Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
Phillip has an AVVO rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been designated as a “Superlawyer”, and is the President Elect of the Tennessee Association for Justice.
Click Here to Contact Phillip
