TWO TEENS KILLED IN CAR CRASH
Two Kaneland High School students were killed in a car accident on their way to school last Thursday morning. Both young men, 18, were academically and athletically gifted and were childhood best friends. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident that occurred around 9:15 a.m. Thursday. It appears that the vehicle left the road and drove onto a gravel shoulder and that the driver overcompensated and shot back across the oncoming lane, slamming into a tree.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in that age group. In 2005, twelve teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population, but they account for 30% of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.
The CDC warns that the risk of motor vehicle crahses is higher among 16 to 19 year olds than among any other age group. In fact, teen drivers are four times more likely to crash than older drivers. Moreoever, the presence of teenaged passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers; this risk increases with the number of teen passengers. Crash risk is even higher during the first year that teens are eligible to drive.
Male teenagers, like the two who died Thursday morning, are particularly at risk. In 2005, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 16 to 19 was more than one and a half times that of their female counterparts.
The CDC has pinpointed some of the reasons why the teen motor vehicle death rate is so high:
*Teens are more likely to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.
*Teens are more likely to speed and allow shorter headways.
*Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use.
If you have a teen driver, please share this information with them...it could save their life.
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident and are looking for an experienced attorney, please contact The Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll.
