California residents may not know that the period between Memorial Day and the first day back to school marks what is unofficially labeled the “100 deadliest days” of summer for teen drivers. The season is labeled as such because over 1,000 people have died yearly for the past five years during this period, and industry groups are concerned that the situation has gotten extremely dangerous due to teens’ use of texting and social media while driving.
According to AAA, deaths from car accidents during the summer months go up on average of 16 percent. For the last five years, approximately 10 people a day were killed during the summer. Driver distraction, which includes talking to other people in the car, using cell phones for talking, texting or social media, or attending to something in the vehicle, is a factor in 58.5 percent of the crashes. Industry groups worry that the number might continue increasing as teens interact even more with their cell phones and social media.
The concern seems to be supported by statistics from the Pew Group, which found that 92 percent of teens had cell phones, 54 percent said they texted daily and 24 percent admitted to being online almost constantly. Furthermore, research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute showed that the crash risk was 23 times greater when a teen was texting than when they were not distracted at all.
Victims and families of deceased victims in cases where a teen driver is found liable for an accident might consider seeking compensation for their losses. They might use the guidance of a personal injury lawyer who might offer advice about the type of compensation they might receive if their claim is successful.