It could be that your teen was injured in a crash or that you yourself were injured at the hands of a teen driver. In either case, you may be able to file a claim against the responsible party here in Indiana. When the defendant is a teen, one of the things that almost always comes up is the lack of experience behind the wheel. This lack of experience makes teen drivers, among other things, more prone to distraction.
No young passengers for newly licensed teens
While most adult drivers are not distracted by conversations in the car, the same does not hold true for teens, especially when those in the car happen to be their peers. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, having a single peer riding in the car can increase a teen driver’s risk for a crash by 44%. Experts advise parents not to let their teens drive with a young passenger for at least their first year as a fully licensed driver.
Limiting the times when teens ride with friends
Car crashes affect passengers, too, so parents should limit those times when their teens ride with friends. Factors that experts say should be taken into account include how long the friend has been licensed, how far they will be traveling and whether they will be traveling at night.
No siblings in the car
Experts also say teens should not to have siblings ride with them as they can be more distracting than friends. Siblings are more acquainted with one another’s personalities and likes and dislikes, and so they can more easily get one another to laugh or become angry. If you have been hurt in an accident caused by a negligent driver regardless of age, you might want to have a lawyer’s assistance when seeking compensation for your losses.
