June 20, 2012
Speed-related motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities in the United States today, especially in North Carolina. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that in 2009, more than 3,000 teens lost their lives in car accidents. The number of North Carolina Auto Accidents involving young people made the state rank number two in the nation for fatal teen driving accidents. North Carolina accounted for 54 teen deaths in 2011, which was an eight percent rise over the total in 2010.
Studies have shown that teen drivers with their peers in the car have a more than 44 percent higher chance of being involved in an accident than those who drive alone.
An accident Thursday involving both speed and young passengers in Johnston County left one young girl dead and another seriously injured. According to WRAL News, the accident happened on Princeton Kinley Road around 8:00 p.m. when the 16-year-old driver of the vehicle was speeding and lost control of the car. It went into a ditch, killing the driver. Her passenger was airlifted to a local hospital, where she remains in serious condition.
The North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers with HensonFuerst say that graduated licensing programs have helped reduce the number of teen accidents; however, parents talking openly with their young drivers about the dangers of speeding and distractions will significantly decrease your teen’s chances of being involved in a Raleigh Car Accident.