According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, fatal car accidents occur most frequently for drivers aged 16 to 19 years of age. Why does this happen?

The California Department of Motor Vehicles took a look at the teen driver crash risks, and found that contributing factors to the high rate of fatal car accident involving teens included:

The inability to detect hazards - this skill comes with time, as the driver spends more and more time behind the wheel. New drivers are not able to fully recognize when there is a hazard in their surroundings.

Low risk perception - Teen drivers are not only more likely NOT to recognize a hazard, but they are also more likely to take risks while behind the wheel. This makes for a dangerous combination of decision making that can lead to fatal car accidents.

Want to read the other factors that can lead to fatal teen car accidents? Read “Why are car accidents highest among teens? Part II” in our next blog.

We urge parents to talk to their teens about safe driving techniques, and smart decision making. Encourage your teen to get a lot of driving practice while you are in the car, and be open about the hazards that car arise behind the wheel.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to tragic circumstances, order your free copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book, by calling our office at 800.637.8170. Our Ohio fatal teen car accident attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to serve you.

Our Toledo, Ohio fatal car accident lawyers see the devastation that deadly car accidents can have. While fatal car accidents can happen to anyone, car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.

Many factors can contribute to teen car accidents, including cell phone use and text messaging behind the wheel, drinking and driving, or other distractions in the car like friends or music. Mix those distractions with ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder, which the CDC reports over 2 million teens nationwide suffer from, and it turns into a recipe for disaster.

According to a recent study by Allstate Insurance Company, Tampa, Florida is considered the top city for fatal teen car accidents between Thanksgiving and New Years Day out of the 50 largest metro areas in the country.  Here are the other top nine cities in the US where fatal teen car accidents are the most prevalent:

Jacksonville, FL

Orlando-Kissimmee, FL

Kansas City, MO

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

Las Vegas-Paradise, NV

Oklahoma City, OK

Louisville, KY

Richmond, VA

If you or someone you know has been injured in an Ohio car accident, contact our office for your free copy of The Ohio Accident Book.