Nashville Auto Accident Lawyers Talks About Risky Tennessee Teen Driving Behavior
A couple of teenagers had done it numerous times in the past and they were just having fun. The fun ended when the teenager fell out of her moving car and hit her head on the pavement leaving her in a coma. The young lady was riding as a passenger in her own car driven by a 20-year-old friend. As was their custom, the young lady was sitting in the open window with her feet on the front seat when her friend took a sharp curve at approximately 60 mph and she fell out of the window onto the pavement on her head. The narrow rural road had a speed limit of 35 mph.
My prayers go out to the two young women and their parents and friends.
Teen drivers, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), have the highest crash risk of any age group. I also share some sobering statistics. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 38% of all teen deaths in the United States.
In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes. Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.
Most Americans typically learn to drive during their teen years, when the brain is not fully mature. Recent research is beginning to give us insight into why many teens have difficulty regulating risk-taking behavior:
* The area of the brain that weighs consequences, suppresses impulses and organizes thoughts does not fully mature until about age 25.
* Hormones are more active in teens, which influence the brain’s neuro-chemicals that regulate excitability and mood. The result can be thrill-seeking behavior and experiences that create intense feelings.
If you or a loved is injured in a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn 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.
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