Car Accidents Involving New Drivers

Car accidents involving new drivers occur at alarming rates as inexperienced motorists lack the skills, judgment, and defensive driving abilities to navigate traffic safely. Teen drivers and newly licensed adults cause devastating collisions through distracted driving, speeding, misjudging distances, overcorrecting, and poor hazard recognition. The driver who caused an accident through their own negligence is the one who has the legal obligation to pay for damages.

Teenage Drivers Have Very High Accident Rates

Drivers who are between the ages of 16 and 19 are the ones who are most likely to be involved in a fatal crash. They have a fatality rate that is three times higher per mile driven than that of motorists who are over the age of 20. However, age alone and relative lack of maturity are not the only contributing factors to accidents for new drivers. Inexperience itself can be dangerous because drivers need seasoning and the ability to respond to challenges on the road.

Why New Drivers Are Involved in More Car Accidents

Reasons why new drivers may be more likely to be involved in a car accident include the following:

• They may be overconfident behind the wheel, not knowing what they do not know.
• They may be more likely to take risks because they do not understand the consequences.
• Newer drivers may not know how to deal with adverse weather conditions and the mechanisms necessary to handle them.
• Newer drivers are more likely to be distracted, especially if they have passengers with them in the car.

The risks drop as a motorist gains more time behind the wheel. For example, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, a 16-year-old has an accident rate that is one and a half times higher than that of an 18 or 19-year-old driver.

New Drivers Are Not Always the One Responsible for the Crash

Just because a car accident involved a new driver does not mean that they are automatically to blame for it. Of course, there is a perception that newer drivers are riskier than others, but they are protected by the same assumptions that apply in any car accident case. You must still prove that the new driver was negligent to be eligible for financial compensation. Even if their inexperience contributed to the accident, you still need to prove a specific instance of their conduct that resulted in the crash. For example, a driver's inexperience could have led to them misjudging a curve, which either caused them to slam into your car or cut you off in traffic.

If you or your child was involved in an accident as a new driver, you may be working against a presumption that you were at fault. The other driver’s insurance company may try to point a finger at the new driver, knowing that they may be able to get away with it. You need a determined and dedicated advocate to tell your side of the story and to combat any perception that your inexperience had something to do with the accident that injured you. A car accident lawyer can help ensure a fair shake for a newer driver who may be unfairly blamed for a crash.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you sue the parents for the car accident?

You are typically filing your claim against the parents' car insurance policy because that is what covers the teenage driver. They could be directly responsible for negligent entrustment depending on the facts.

Can a teenager file their own lawsuit?

Injured drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to enter into settlement agreements or file lawsuits, so their parents must do it for them.

Our Hamburg Car Accident Lawyers at Dan Chiacchia Injury Attorneys Will Fight to Get You the Settlement You Deserve

When you hire our Hamburg car accident lawyers at Dan Chiacchia Injury Attorneys, you are getting a fierce advocate for your legal rights. To schedule a free case review, submit our online contact form or call today at 716-648-3030. Located in Hamburg, New York, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.