Drivers of any age can be involved in a fatal car accident, but statistics do point out some interesting trends. For one thing, the fatal accident rate is highest for drivers between 16 and 19 years old. Young drivers are disproportionately likely to cause these fatal crashes, as they make up only a small fraction of the total drivers on the road.
In each individual accident, there may be different root causes. For instance, one young driver may be texting and driving, while another may be speeding or driving too fast for conditions. Accidents happen because of drunk driving, aggressive driving, fatigued driving and much more. However, there is one underlying cause that explains why young drivers in particular are involved in more of these crashes.
They lack experience behind the wheel
The biggest issue is a lack of experience. This leads to mistakes and oversights that older drivers wouldn’t make.
For example, a driver in their 30s may have no problem determining how close they should drive to the vehicle in front of them. They know how to count off a three-second gap to avoid tailgating, giving themselves enough room to react to an unexpected change. But a young driver may not understand how large the gap needs to be, so they think they’re driving safely when they are actually dangerously tailgating the next vehicle. Eventually, this leads to a crash.
Seeking financial compensation
These accidents will continue happening, unfortunately, because it just takes time for young drivers to gain experience. Accidents will occur in the meantime, so there is a risk for everyone on the road. If you’ve been injured by another driver, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and more.
