Georgia Injury Law Blog
Teen drivers have some of the highest accident risks. When a teenager is driving a car that is equipped with the latest safety tech, however, those accident risks reduce significantly.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted a study on the effectiveness of crash avoidance technologies and other safety systems on the accident risks of teen motorists. The study found that these technologies, if mandated on all automobiles, could prevent as many as 75% of all accidents involving teen motorists. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study results show that while it is not possible to reduce teen accident rates by 100%, it is possible to significantly reduce the risks of teen motorists being involved in accidents by getting them cars that are equipped with lane departure warning systems, forward collision avoidance systems and other car safety technologies.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that teen motorists have a risk of being involved in accidents that is as much as four times higher than for adult drivers. There are several reasons for those higher accident risks. Teen motorists have fewer years of experience successfully navigating traffic and crash risks. Additionally, teen motorists are more likely to be impulsive and may lack the critical judgment and reasoning skills that are necessary to avoid accidents. Teens are also more likely to be susceptible to crashes involving drunk driving and speeding. Passengers in the car also constitute a huge distraction for a teen motorist. All these factors combined significantly increase teen motorist crash risks.
In addition to judgment and reaction skills, teenagers are typically less likely to recognize accident hazards and have more difficulty controlling the vehicle, compared to older drivers with more years of experience. They are much more likely to be involved in accidents that involve loss of control of the vehicle like rollover crashes or off-the road accidents. Accidents involving loss of concentration and focus are much more likely to involve teen motorists with lesser experience in recognizing these hazards. Teens are also much more likely to be involved in rear -ender accidents than older drivers.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study finds that specific crash technologies can significantly reduce the risks that are much more pronounced in teen drivers. These systems include front crash prevention systems that help drivers bring the car under control when faced with a potential crash risk in the path of the vehicle. Lane departure warning systems that help the driver bring the car back into its lane when the motorist is in danger of veering from it can also help reduce these car accident risks.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine your legal rights to compensation for your losses. You may qualify for compensation for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and other types of damages.