Teen Distracted Driving Car Accident

Distracted driving is extremely dangerous and is a major cause of accidents. In fact, according to Distraction.gov, 3,092 people were killed in 2010 due to distracted driving crashes and 17 percent of crashes causing injury during this same time period involved distracted driving. Unfortunately, distracted driving is especially dangerous for teen drivers who are more likely to be involved in driving while distracted and who are least equipped to be able to drive safely while distracted due to their more limited driving experience.

When a motorist is involved in a distracted driving crash, those who are injured as a result of the crash may be able to take legal action. This includes passengers who are in the vehicle at the time of a crash. To learn more about distracted driving and accidents involving teen drivers, it is important to contact an experienced Boston car accident lawyer.

The Massachusetts personal injury attorneys at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers have been representing car accident and injury victims for more than 19 years and can help protect your legal rights in the wake of a serious or fatal collision.

There are many different types of behaviors that can lead to distracted driving. These include:

• Texting on a cell phone while driving. A recent nationwide survey revealed that 58 percent of high school seniors had either texted or emailed while driving in the month preceding the survey. 48 percent of high school juniors also admitted to this behavior.
• Talking on a cell phone or on a smartphone. According to Distraction.gov, 40 percent of teens in America indicated that they'd been in a vehicle when the driver was using a cell phone in a way that put the driver and passengers in danger.
• Eating or drinking while behind the wheel.
• Interacting with or paying attention to passengers.
• Reading maps or other materials in the vehicle.
• Using a GPS or navigation system.
• Watching videos.
• Adjusting music including radios, CD players or Mp3 players.

The number of possible distractions, coupled with the fact that teens are more likely than adults to underestimate the danger of driving situations and to overestimate their own driving skill, explains why distracted driving is such a problem among teen drivers. With distracted driving playing a role in 11 percent of fatal crashes involving drivers under aged 20, teen drivers make up the largest proportion of distracted drivers and face significant risk.

While teens are more likely to be distracted because of inexperience and lack of understanding of the dangers associated with distracted driving, this does not mean that they are simply allowed a free pass because of their youth. Instead, if a teen who is engaging in distracted driving causes an accident, he or she can be sued or have personal injury claims made against him/her just as any other driver can. Even passengers or friends who are in the car with the teen may be able to make a personal injury claim if the teen driver is negligent in a way that causes an accident. Typically, the teen's insurance will provide payment for the damages, although in certain cases where the insurance coverage is not sufficient, exploring other possible defendants including the parents of the teen may be advisable.

Of course, in order for a teen to be held accountable for a distracted driving accident, the accident must have been caused by the actions of the teenager. If a third party behaved in a negligent manner that caused or contributed to the accident, even a teen who was driving while distracted may be able to recover partial or total compensation. These cases can be very tricky as far as apportioning fault to the responsible parties, and it becomes especially essential to contact a Boston personal injury lawyer.

To learn more about how a Boston car accident lawyer can help you after a teen driving accident or a distracted driving accident, contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers today at (617) 777-7777 or using our online form. Remember your consultation is always free.