What began as a routine day ended with you and your family spending time in the hospital. Maybe you were lucky to come through the accident with your lives, but chances are at least one of your loved ones suffered serious injuries. In your estimation, the driver of the other car looked like a child.
In Kentucky, drivers under the age of 21 are involved in over 23,000 accidents. You and your family are among the more than 7,000 injuries and almost 100 fatalities reported annually. Teen drivers have three times as many fatal accidents per miles driven as any other category of drivers.
Altercations with the inexperienced driver
Several factors contribute to the high number of young driver accidents. The driver who hit your car was certainly inexperienced and perhaps did not realize that the circumstances required an adjustment in speed or attention. If the road was slick or the traffic congested, the driver may not have properly assessed the situation. Young drivers frequently take turns too wide and too fast, and if you were in the opposite lane, you probably had no way to avoid a collision.
Many young drivers do not fully understand the potential dangers behind the wheel, so they don't realize their behaviors are risky. Driving too fast, weaving in and out of traffic and tailgating may be exhilarating to a young driver, leaving you and your family vulnerable.
Teens making hazardous choices
Distracted driving is a problem among all drivers, but teens may not have developed instinctive driver reactions and so may be more likely to cause an accident when distracted. Some common distractions for teens include:
- Talking on the phone
- Texting
- Changing music on the radio or device
- Eating or drinking
- Interacting with passengers
- Zoning out
The freedom a youth feels in the early stages of holding a permit may cause him or her to focus on what is happening inside the vehicle rather than looking out for you and other drivers.
Perhaps nothing is more upsetting than to learn that the driver responsible for injuring your loved ones was impaired at the time of the accident. A young and inexperienced driver who has also been drinking or using drugs may be one of the most dangerous factors on the road. If the accident that injured you and your family involved an intoxicated teen, you have every right to be upset.
The next step in your recovery
Following your traffic accident, you have likely dealt with many problems. The time you missed from work has certainly resulted in a financial burden. As you and your loved ones recover from your injuries, the medical bills may already be arriving. Some of your injuries may require future surgeries or long-term care.
By contacting an attorney, you can begin to seek possible compensation for your injuries and suffering. In addition to dealing with agents from your insurance company - who may stall or deny your rightful claim - your lawyer will investigate the accident to determine if the driver was negligent. You can find comfort in legal counsel who is willing to work closely with you to obtain the remuneration you deserve.
