Teen Accident Statistics and Facts

Gaining driving privileges provides new freedom to teen drivers and their parents or caregivers. Being on-call to transport a child to functions is no longer required, relieving some of the parental pressure to be in many places at once. However, a new sense of urgency may occur as concerns for your child’s safety on the road take over.

Getting the call that your teen has been in an auto accident in Texas likely rates as a parent’s most feared moment. Alarmingly, the teen accident statistics and facts are justifiable reasons to express the need for safety behind the wheel. Always reach out to a Pearland car accident attorney if your loved one has been injured in a teen car accident in Texas. Financial recovery contributes significantly to receiving needed medical care.

Texas Teen Accident Facts and Statistics

Losing a child in a teenage driving accident forever impacts the lives of Texas families. Small, unsuspecting acts may end in tragedy, and the number of Texas accidents involving teenage motorists continues to climb each year. The vast majority of these accidents are preventable.

The following statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) shed light on teen driving deaths and what can be done to increase the outcome of surviving a teen driving accident:

• The number of deaths in Texas teen accidents continues to rise as a result of teen drivers and their passengers not wearing seat belts.
• Not wearing a seat belt likely contributed to the deaths of 162 teen drivers and passengers fatally injured in Texas car accidents.
• Over half of the teens in Texas driving accidents were not buckled up.
• The number of teens who died in one year in Texas from auto accidents totaled 320.

In addition to wearing proper restraints and insisting that all passengers do, teen drivers can take steps to minimize anything that could reduce their focus on the road. Responding safely to internal and external distractions while driving is critical for teen highway safety. Also, their lack of experience behind the wheel may lead to a poor response time or exaggerated response to highway threats by teen drivers.

Fatal Teen Accident Statistics

The following facts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlight the significant problem of teen accidents in the U.S:

• The leading cause of U.S. teen deaths is motor vehicle crashes.
• Driver inexperience contributes most to car crashes involving teenage motorists, with the risk of an accident being higher during the first month of having a license.
• Driving at night is more dangerous for teen drivers than for drivers of other ages.
• An average of eight teens a day, approximately 2,800 a year, die annually in car accidents.
• Fatal crash incidents for teen drivers between ages 16 to 19 are approximately three times higher than for drivers age 20 and older per driven mile.

Not only are teens at risk for severe injury or death, but drivers sharing the road with them are also vulnerable to their inexperienced and reckless behaviors. This is one reason it is important to emphasize the responsibility of operating a motor vehicle when educating young drivers.

Teen Accidents Resulting in Injury

As the number of teen drivers continues to increase, a focus on safety remains at the forefront. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares its key findings concerning statistics and facts about teen accidents. As mentioned, teens who choose to drive while unrestrained are a growing threat to safety across the country. Additional findings include:

• The estimated number of young drivers injured in car crashes in the U.S. equaled 203,256.
• The number of police-reported accidents involving young drivers continues to increase, reaching 1,349,626 annual accidents.
• Alcohol consumption was detected in 27% of underaged drivers killed in a car accident.
• An estimated 4,818 young drivers were injured in motorcycle accidents.

A Decade of Teen Accident Statistics Reflect a Grim Reality

In the data cited above by NHTSA, it is alarming to note the threat to other commuters as well. The following increases in tragic accidents demonstrate trends in teen accidents over a decade:

• Young driver fatalities increased by 13%.
• Fatalities involving other drivers killed by young drivers grew by 35%.
• Young drivers fatally injured pedestrians, cyclists, and other commuters outside a vehicle at an increase of 43%.

Factors Contributing to Teen Accidents

Reducing the factors contributing to teen accidents may save a life. Parents and guardians play a critical role in educating teen drivers. Equipping teens with safe driving skills protects them as they drive and contributes to your peace of mind. The annual financial costs of vehicle crash deaths involving teens aged 13 to 19 are estimated at approximately $40.7 billion for lives lost and medical expenses. The following factors contribute to teen accidents.

Distracted Driving

Distractions inside and outside of a vehicle are challenging to everyone, but particularly for teen drivers. The three main distractions to teen drivers include:

• Visual distractions
• Manual distractions
• Cognitive distractions

GPS devices, radios, cellphones, talking to other passengers, and eating in the car commonly distract a driver from safely maneuvering a vehicle. Without the benefit of years of experience, teenagers may struggle to pay adequate attention to the details of driving and noticing the actions of other motorists around them. This reduced focus leaves them with less time to respond and avoid a crash.

Transporting Teen Passengers

Teens behave differently around other teens, which can lead to an increase in teen accidents. According to Youth.Gov, drivers aged 16 and 17 are at a double risk of death per mile driven when transporting at least two passengers younger than 21. The risk of death quadruples per driven mile for these drivers when transporting three or more passengers under 21.

Alcohol

Not all alcohol-related driving deaths in Texas impact teens, but drinking and driving kills Texans at an average rate of three people per day. The financial costs of underage and teen DUI are staggering, according to TxDOT sober rides information:

• The average cost of a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Texas is up to $17,000.
• First-offense DUI for teens under 17 comes with approximately $500 in fines.
• Teens between 17 and 20 pay up to $2,000 in fines.
• A driver’s license suspension of 60 days to one year may result.
• Community service of 20-40 hours may be required.
• Alcohol awareness classes have become mandatory.

Personal Factors

Personal characteristics have also been identified as common factors contributing to teen accidents, according to another Youth.Gov study. They include:

• The age and experience of a driver
• A teen’s predisposition to risky behaviors and susceptibility to peer pressure
• Teens prone to engage in more deviant actions
• Teen drivers predisposed to aggressive or hostile behaviors

These statistics noted a relationship between better grades and reduced teen accidents. A teen with better school performance was less likely to engage in risky behaviors impacting teen accidents.

Injuries in Pearland Teen Accidents Are Costly

Contact the experienced Pearland car accident attorneys at J.D. Silva & Associates if you or someone you know has been injured in an accident involving a teen driver in Texas. Medical expenses, missed work, and other costs can lead to financial hardships that are challenging to recover from.

We effectively work to prove the cause of car accidents in Texas, holding at-fault drivers responsible for financial compensation for your damages. We also offer bilingual services to accommodate the needs of every client in Texas in both Spanish and English.