The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over 3,500 teenagers died in auto crashes in 2016. Accordingly, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles held a week-long campaign earlier this month to promote safe teen driving. The aim was to get teens to commit to driving in a way that will keep themselves and their passengers safe from personal injury. Along with personal responsibility, the focus was on never starting the car before everybody is buckled up.
During the campaign, the AAA Foundation urged parents to have conversations with their teenage children about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. Studies indicate that a significant number of crashes by teens result from distractions. Furthermore, it is estimated that one in four teenage deaths in car accidents involves alcohol-impaired drivers.
Authorities made a point of not only emphasizing the need for teen drivers to consider their own safety but also the safety of their passengers. Too many families lose children in crashes that were caused by drunk driving. In many collisions, impaired drivers walk away unscathed while their friends suffer fatal injuries.
Florida parents who have had to cope with the loss of a teenage child who was killed in a crash while he or she was a passenger in a vehicle operated by a drunk driver may seek financial relief through the civil justice system. Nobody budgets for the financial burden of a funeral and burial of his or her teen, and successfully navigating a wrongful death claim may help. At this difficult time, the support and guidance of an experienced and compassionate personal injury attorney can be a significant advantage in seeking legal recourse concerning such tragic circumstances.
Source: news-press.com, “Florida, U.S., promotes Teen Driver Safety Week, focuses on safe driving behaviors“, Michael Braun, Oct. 17, 2017