National Safety Council Reports Auto Accidents Leading Killer Of Teens

Last month the National Safety
Council (“NSC”) issued a press release regarding teen safety. The
report stated that car crashes are the leading
cause of death for teens in the U.S., and teens crash at three times the rate
of more experienced drivers. Possible reasons for the spike in these crashes
include:

  • Summer driving tends to be more
    recreational and not as purposeful, such as driving to see friends rather
    than driving to
     school or work
  • Teens could be carrying friends
    more frequently and passengers increase the risk of a fatal crash
    involving a teen driver by at least 44 percent
  • Teens may stay out later at
    night, when crash risk is higher
  • With warmer weather and clearer
    conditions, teens may be tempted to speed
  • More drivers are on the roads.
    Americans drove more than 780 billion miles between June, July and August
    in 2013, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

There’s a lot at stake here and it’s
not just teen lives. Their erratic driving can affect the lives of other
drivers, passengers and pedestrians, regardless of age. I think one step would
be more intensive classes and possibly raising the age to drive to 17. Another
step could be stricter penalties if a teenager is ticketed for texting and
driving, especially if a car accident or injuries from a car crash are a result
of the texting. Parents should also take an active role and drive with their
children to ensure they are doing the right things behind the wheel and
following the rules of the road.

If you or someone you love has been
seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then
call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

National Safety Counsel Calls For Ban On All Cell Phone Use While Driving

In January of this year the National Safety Counsel announced that they are calling for a complete ban on cell phone use while driving.  The announcement is a plea to businesses, governors and legislators in all 50 states to enact laws banning the use of cell phones and messaging devices while driving.

A study from the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that cell phone use while driving contributes to 6 percent of crashes, which equates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. The study also put the annual financial toll of cell phone-related crashes at $43 billion.

As I have mentioned before, the temptation is always there to answer calls, read texts and emails and even return text messages while driving. I have stopped reading and returning emails and texts while driving and only use the speaker phone. Based on these recent studies at Harvard and Virginia Tech, I believe we will be seeing stiffer restrictions on cell phone use and messaging devices in Illinois and around the country.

To read the complete story, click here.

Call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation  at 312-588-3384, if you or someone you know has been involved in an accident,