When you’re involved in a traffic accident, no matter how big or small, a police officer is going to take statements and assign blame. In some cases, liability is clear cut, but when it comes to teenage drivers, police have been known to take it easy on the “new drivers” and point the finger at the more senior driver. After all, you have more experience and control so you should have been able to prevent the accident.
Although you concede that you have more driving experience, does that also mean you should concede to take the blame?
What if you see a teenager barreling toward you at high speeds? Do you let your family get hit, or take evasive action, even if it means breaking the law? Who is actually liable in situations like that, and how can you prove that inexperience is what caused the incident?
Teenage Driving Stats Can Help Prove Your Innocence
According to a recent study conducted by the American Auto Association (AAA), teenagers have the highest crash rate of any group in the United States. As a result of inexperience, decreased attention spans, and their susceptibility to distractions, teenage drivers account for over 900,000 accidents every year. Although this statistic in itself is terrifying, it can be used to your advantage when defending your case.
The AAA study discovered that teenagers regularly cause accidents as a result of inattention and distraction. The stats show that:
- 15% of teenage accidents result from the driver interacting with one or more passengers.
- 12% can be blamed on cell phone use.
- 10% are caused by the driver looking at something in the vehicle, while 9% are caused by looking at something outside the vehicle.
- 8% are caused by singing, moving, or dancing to music.
- 6% can be blamed on drivers grooming themselves.
- 6% result from drivers taking their hands off the wheel to reach for an object.
Any one of these distractions could have caused your accident, especially since there is documented proof that these types of accidents occur all the time with teenagers. Therefore, you can use this data to highlight teenage liability, as opposed to taking the blame because you’re an adult.
If you believe you have been charged or ticketed for an accident caused by a teenager, contact us today at 703-865-6610 to set up an appointment. Don’t allow age bias to jeopardize your driving record, or cost you hard-earned money. Contact us today and see how I can help secure justice for you and your family.
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