You know that you’re always going to face some level of risk when you drive on the highway, the interstate, or even local streets and rural roads. You always have to share the road with other drivers, it’s always possible for them to make mistakes and this means that you cannot fully avoid the risk of driving through your own skill and abilities. Other drivers are, at least in part, responsible for your safety.
With this in mind, you may be wondering what types of drivers to watch out for. Which group tends to cause the most serious crashes? Let’s take a look at what you can learn from the statistics.
Young drivers
When you look at the number of fatal accidents caused every year, it very quickly becomes obvious that young drivers are the biggest problem that you face. They cause a highly disproportionate number of fatal crashes. Remember that teen drivers are only those who are 16 through 19, a tiny percentage of the overall drivers on the road. Per capita, however, they cause the greatest number of fatal accidents.
Why do they do it?
There are numerous reasons why their accident rates are high, with one of them simply being inexperience. People who are learning a new task always get better at that task with more experience. Driving is the same as anything else, but the difference is that making mistakes can lead to an accident. So teens are simply going to cause more crashes because they are still gaining valuable experience, but they haven’t done it yet.
Additionally, teenagers are susceptible to a lot of the other hazards that drivers face, and perhaps more susceptible to some. For instance, they cause accidents when they text and drive, when they break the speed limit or when they drive under the influence. These things are certainly not limited to teens, but they have shown a greater likelihood of making risky decisions simply because of their age and relative immaturity.
What are your options?
If you’ve lost a loved one or suffered serious injuries in a crash caused by another driver, you may be able to seek financial compensation for your medical bills other costs.