Motor vehicle accidents remain the number one cause of Death for teens in the US. Just because a person obtains a drivers license, does not mean they are a safe driver. In fact, newly licensed drivers, regardless of their age, are at the highest risk for causing motor vehicle accidents. This is primarily due to their inexperience and lack of skills behind the wheel.
Studies have shown even though teens complete the learner permit period with success, they still have significant skill deficits which lead to a much higher rate of causing motor vehicle accidents. The most common type of crashes by teens are taking left hand turns in front of oncoming vehicles with the right of way, causing rear ended crashes and going off the road. Some of these accidents could be caused by distractions from cell phone or text use in addition to being inexperienced.
Many believe that before teens are allowed to drive on the roads themselves, the public needs to ensure they have the skills that can prevent them from crashing. Furthermore, when teens do crash, the public needs to know the cause of the crash ant remediate it. Some believe passing a road test by a driving instructor and a written test are not enough to allow all teens free reign on the public highways. There are studies that show teens would benefit from also taking a simulated driving test to really determine if they are ready for their drivers license.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident and you suspect the cause of the injury is from an inexperienced driver, it is imperative you speak with an attorney, such as Attorney Michael O. Smith who specializes in representing victims of negligent motor vehicle accidents.