How Dangerous Are the Roads for Beaufort Teen Drivers?

Motor vehicle accidents are common in The Bluff, the Point, the Northwest Quadrant and other areas throughout Beaufort, SC and the rest of the state. Teens are often the ones who lose their lives or suffer injury. Just this December, a 19-year-old South Carolina student lost her life in a motor vehicle collision, which also injured two others.

Most parents know that teen driving is dangerous, but they may not be aware of the full extent of the risks their kids face when they get their license. Personal injury lawyers in Beaufort, SC understand the risks and consequences of teen driving accidents and can help victims of those killed in crashes to take legal action against those responsible for causing the collision.

Beaufort Teens at Risk of Motor Vehicle Crashes

According to Myrtle Beach Online, the young victim of the recent South Carolina collision was a student at the University of South Carolina. Originally from Florida, she had transferred to a local USC campus and was studying biology. She was driving her vehicle north on Thrush Street at around 5:22 PM this December when she went through an intersection. A truck traveling east struck the side door of the vehicle, killing the victim who was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The passenger in the USC student's car also sustained serious injuries in the crash and was transported to the hospital. The driver of the truck was also hurt and received medical attention.

This accident was a tragic one and the cause of the crash is not known. It is, unfortunately, one of many thousands of accidents that will happen each year with teenage drivers at the wheel. One of the biggest risk factors for teens is having a peer in the car with them at the time, just as this motorist did. The more teen passengers in the vehicle, the greater the chances of a collision. If the young driver was to blame, passengers and their family members can pursue a negligence claim against the driver.

Statistics from Drive Steady show just how prevalent teen accidents are. According to their collected data:

• Drivers aged 16 to 19 have four times the risk of dying in a motor vehicle crash than motorists between the ages of 25 and 69.
• The greatest risk of a fatal accident occurs within six months of the time when a teenager first gets his or her driver's license.
• Teen drivers were involved in a total of 12 percent of all of the fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States that were reported to law enforcement.
• 55 percent of teenagers who die in fatal motor vehicle collisions do not have their seat belts on at the time of the incident. The USC student recently killed in the crash reportedly did not have her seat belt on.
• 31 percent of teens were consuming alcohol at the time of the deadly crash.

Parents need to talk to their kids about how to drive safely behind the wheel and should try to get in plenty of driving practice before their children begin to drive independently. It is also a good idea to limit how many peers can be in a car with a young driver.

A Beaufort South Carolina personal injury attorney can help if you've been injured or a loved one was killed in an accident. Contact Twenge + Twombley today at 866-452-6315 for a free case consultation.