What You Should Know About Car Accidents and North Dakota Teenagers
Car Accidents and Teenagers in North Dakota
Communities across North Dakota are focusing on the number-one cause of death impacting teenagers across the state: car accidents. According to the Department of Transportation’s research, every three hours a teen driver is involved in a vehicle accident.
Distracted driving and use of cell phones on the road are certainly on the rise and several communities across North Dakota are trying to use education to help prevent these devastating accidents from happening.
Although many individuals are aware of the potential criminal and civil penalties associated with texting and driving accidents, the behavior still persists. Teen drivers face the most risks out of all driver age categories. Teen drivers are also not experienced behind the wheel, as many are still adjusting to different weather conditions and driving behaviors.
Education will help some of the misconceptions about dangerous behaviors behind the wheel. With a lack of experience operating a vehicle, matched with potential distractions in the car, teen drivers face extremely high risks for accidents involving injuries and fatalities. A teen driver who is found negligent in an accident case could even be facing criminal penalties.
A big challenge for teens is their sense of excitement over obtaining a driver’s license and feelings of invincibility, which can put them at a big risk for causing accidents and sustaining serious injuries. If they are behaving recklessly and breaking the law, a car accident may even yield criminal penalties. For a teen driver, knowing that he or she is at fault for a car accident that changed or took someone else’s life forever as a result of injuries can be overwhelming and frustrating. An accident like this can haunt a teen forever, so the best course of action is to avoid these accidents in the first place.
One recommended course of action for North Dakota parents is to put together a driving contract with teens. This written agreement can outline the rules of the road for new teen drivers, such as no texting and driving, limits on the number of passengers in the car, and other relevant rules. As a parent, being aware and working with your teen to establish safe rules can avoid some of the devastating outcomes associated with teen driver accidents.
With so much on the line, North Dakota communities are working together to educate drivers about how to stay safe behind the wheel every time they drive a car. If you have already been injured by a driver engaging in distracted or negligent behavior, you may have grounds for filing a personal injury claim. Since the injuries from a car accident can impact your life indefinitely, you need a careful evaluation from an experienced North Dakota accident attorney to help you determine what is most appropriate in your case. Medical treatments for injuries associated with car accidents can continue for many years at great expense to you personally if you do not file a claim for compensation. Contact the Minot, North Dakota accident attorneys at Larson Law Firm, P.C. at 866-309-1777, or 701-839-1777, or we can be reached online to learn more about the potential for filing a claim in a free initial consultation.