A tragic accident claimed the life of one teen and left another teen in critical condition early Saturday morning. The accident occurred at 5:40 a.m. Saturday, when a Lexus sedan that was traveling west on Interstate 20 drifted off the road. The vehicle then crashed into Fish Creek under the interstate.

An 18 year old high school senior was airlifted to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he died. Another 19 year old high school senior was transporter in critical condition to Baylor University. The driver, who is 19, was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

This tragic accident altered the lives of two families forever. What’s especially tragic is that the accident could have been avoided. Although it’s not clear what caused the accident, there were likely several factors at play. First, statistics show that teen drivers are much more likely to be involved in an accident when there are other teens in the car. Other teens can be extremely distracting to inexperienced teen drivers. In addition, the accident occurred when it was still dark outside – poor visibility often contributes to serious accidents. Finally, fatigue also can play a huge role in serious accidents – the accident occurred at 5:40 a.m., and the teens may have been up most of the night.

It’s important to warn teen drivers in your family of the hazards of inexperienced drivers riding with other teens. If you are the parent of a new teen driver, you may want to set strict limits about who the teen can drive with, and what times the teen is allowed to be on the road.

Have you been involved in a serious accident involving a teen? Do you believe you may be entitled to compensation as a result of the accident? If so, contact the Barber Law Firm at 866-986-1529. We will analyze your case to determine whether you may have a claim for damages. Call us today.

Summer has begun and for many teens that means no school and the joys of freedom. However, summer is a particularly dangerous season for teenagers and car accidents. Surveys show that teens engage in more risky driving behaviors during the summer than during the school year. These risky behaviors lead to more teens being killed in car accidents during summer months than other times of the year.

During the summer, teens do almost 50 percent more driving, on average, than during the school year, which of course can lead to more accidents. Teens are also more likely to stay out later and to drive late at night than during the school year. About a quarter of teen deaths in car accidents occur between the hours of 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Teenage drivers typically drive more with other teens in their vehicles during the summer, which has been proven to be much more risky than driving alone or with another adult. Teens can be a huge distraction for one another while driving, which is why many states have changed their laws regarding who can be in the car with teens while they are driving.

Unfortunately, more teens are killed in car crashes, on average, in July than in any other month of the year. June, September and August are also months in which more teens are typically killed in car accidents than others. If you are the parent of a teen driver, take action. Set limits about the hours in which your teen is allowed to drive and who’s allowed to ride with your teen. Talk to teens about the dangers of drug or alcohol use while driving.

If your teen’s been injured in an accident, or if you have been injured in an automobile accident with a teen driver, contact the Dallas personal injury attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 866-986-1529. Our attorneys will work hard for a fair outcome for your case. Call us today.

A study released this week by the AAA’s safety foundation shows that teens driving with their friends in the car is much riskier than driving alone or with an adult. This study is one of the first that has been done since changes were made in driving laws in many states, which began in the mid-1990s. Many states now restrict teens from driving with passengers under the age of 21 and prevent driving at night.

The study was based on teen crashes that occurred between 2007 and 2010. The study found that a 16 or 17 year old’s risk of death when carrying one passenger younger than 21, and no adults, increased 44 percent when compared with driving alone. The risk is double that when carrying two passengers under the age of 21, and quadruples when carrying three or more young passengers. However, the risk of a teen driver dying in an accident when driving with a passenger aged 35 or older decreases by 62 percent.

The good news is between 2000 and 2010, the number of 16 and 17 year olds involved in fatal crashes fell by more than half each year. Much of the credit for those declines is attributed to graduated licensing laws, more seat belt use, less drunk driving and better car safety equipment. Among those young teen drivers who were killed between 2000 and 2010, 40 percent had at least one passenger under the age of 21 and no older adult passengers.

This new study shows just how distracting young passengers can be to teen drivers. If you have a young driver in your family, consider what rules you want to put into place about driving with other young passengers or alone – that can make a huge impact on the odds of a crash occurring.

Have you been involved in an accident that was caused by a teen driver? If so, you could have a cause of action against that teen. Call the Dallas car accident attorneys at the Barber Law Firm at 866-986-1529 to learn more.