Teens have a higher risk of being involved in a fatal crash if they use a hand-held phone, eat, change the radio stations or a CD while driving. “Teenagers tend to think they’re invincible and can multi-task while driving,” said a California Highway Patrol commissioner. “In reality, they’re inexperienced when it comes to driving and they need to recognize the responsibility and the risks associated with driving.” The CHP officially declared this week California Teen Safe Driving Week to educate young driving on the dangers of distracted driving.
According to news reports, the CHP estimates that from 2005-2008, 15-19 year-olds were in over 20,000 car crashes involving distracted driving. Injuries or fatalities resulted from 41% of those collisions. These crashes were mostly caused by inexperienced or distracted drivers, rather than risk-taking. A grant was awared to fund this week’s CHP’s safety campaign, as part of the California Strategic Highway Safety Plan which runs through September 30.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I hope teenagers become more aware of the dangers of texting and driving, and this week’s educational campaign sees positive results. If you or a loved one were hurt in an auto accident caused by a reckless driver, discuss your case with a Los Angeles car accident attorney.
