Tragedy has struck a Pensacola family after 15-year-old Justin B. Taylor was killed when his vehicle lost control, hit a concrete utility pole and flipped over. The victim was thrown from the vehicle. For now, the cause of the crash is unknown.
This unfortunate car accident is representative of the high crash rate among teenage drivers in Florida and throughout the country.
Car accidents involving teenagers have some unique factors that may differ from auto wrecks involving other age groups.
Teenage Driver Statistics
The following statistics highlight some of the reasons why teenage car accidents are relatively common:
- Drivers that are 16 years old have a higher crash rate than other ages, according to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
- The Lewis Center for Educational Research reports that about 56 percent of teens talk on their cell phones when driving. Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents. Fortunately, hands-free laws are becoming more common. However, even banning cell phone use in cars will not prevent everyone from breaking the law.
- Auto accidents involving teens are most likely to happen late at night and in the early morning, according to Virginia State Police statistics.
- The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that teens are more likely to wreck if they have passengers. In fact, having just one passenger increases the risk of an accident by 44 percent.
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Source: http://www.northescambia.com/2015/03/driver-age-15-killed-in-ensley-crash