Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

A recent car accident killed an 18-year-old Lee County teen in Immokalee. The young driver was traveling eastbound on Oil Well Road near County Line Road at approximately 3:00 a.m., according to ABC 7.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the fatal Collier County car accident happened when the teen driver overcorrected as the car drifted off the road. The vehicle rotated, veered onto the shoulder and struck a tree. The young female driver was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital and later pronounced dead. Investigators have determined the driver was wearing her seat belt.

Our Fort Myers personal injury lawyers understand how devastating such tragedies are for families. And we urge teens to be extra careful this spring season as the school year is winding down, prom events are approaching and graduation is just around the corner. It is this time of the year when local high school students hit the road in full force -- parents should take a forceful and proactive approach to their teen's driving safety.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 3,000 teens in the United States between the ages of 15 and 19 were killed in car accidents last year and more than 350,000 were injured. While these young drivers count for only 14 percent of the U.S. populations, they racked up 48 percent -- $26 billion -- of the total cost for motor vehicle injuries. More specifically, Florida teens driving accidents claimed the lives of almost 400 motorists last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Why do teens face a higher risk for motor vehicle accidents? TakeTheWheel.net found these factors make the roadways more dangerous for teen drivers:

-Teen drivers tend to more frequently drive with passengers. These young passengers often produce distractions for the driver.

-Teens use driving as more of a social activity than as a necessary activity.

-Teen drivers have less experience at the wheel, making them more vulnerable to accidents.

-Young drivers have a tendency to not fully understand the consequence of risky behavior behind the wheel.

-Teen drivers, statistically, speed more and disobey other traffic laws.

-Since teens are more likely to hit the road in the evening hours, they are more likely to drive while impaired or drowsy.

The AAA Auto Club provides parents with a teen driving contract to help keep your young driver safe on our roadways. Parents are urged to speak with their teen driver about the dangers of unsafe driving habits and are urged to have them commit to this written agreement in an attempt to reduce the risks of motor vehicle accidents on Florida roadways.