Tragedy has struck again in the Cleveland area, as three teens lost their lives in an early morning crash on Kirby Avenue. According to police reports, the driver of the vehicle was speeding and hit a tree after losing control of his vehicle. The three teens who were killed were all thrown from the car in the crash and died at the accident scene. The driver was also injured, and now faces a variety of criminal charges, as police have alleged that he was drunk at the time of the accident.
Gone Too Soon
The loss of life due to drunk driving accidents is tragic, no matter how you look at it. All too often we learn of young people dying as a result of drunk driving, as we are saddened by the senseless loss of their lives before life had really even begun. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that, while statistics show that the numbers of high school aged teens who drive after drinking is far lower than in the early 90s, the numbers are still far too high; as recently as 2011, almost a million teens drank and drove. Part of the reason for the overall decrease in the percentage of teens who drink and drive may be the increase in awareness of the problem and society’s efforts to prevent its occurrence. Programs that bring the problem into the spotlight and focus on the very real dangers associated with drinking and driving helps to make teens face the fact that they are not immune to the chances of being involved in an accident as a result of drunk driving.
Why Is The Percentage Of Fatal Accidents So High For Teen Drunk Drivers?
The CDC notes that teens who drink and drive have nearly triple the risk of more experienced drivers of being involved in an accident that results in death, so the question is – why is that the case? The answer to this question basically comes down to the fact that, generally speaking, teens have less experience with just about everything than adults – including both drinking and driving. Teens’ bodies do not handle alcohol in the same way that adults’ bodies do; their brains and their bodies are still developing during the teen and young adult years. A teen usually has lower tolerance for alcohol and that, combined with the lack of experience driving, makes the combination riskier than for those who are more experienced.
What Can Be Done To Prevent Teens From Drinking And Driving?
Continuing the trend towards lower percentages of teen drunk drivers takes a combined effort of all parts of society. From a legal perspective, keeping the legal drinking age at 21 years of age is part of the process along with the zero tolerance laws that are in place in every state in the country. Preventing teens from having access to alcohol – or at least making it difficult for them to obtain it – helps to cut down on the instances of teen drinking. For those who do manage to get access to alcohol, the illegality of driving after drinking any quantity of alcohol at all, no matter how little, helps as well; despite teens’ tendencies to engage in risky behavior and rebel against authority, studies do show that for both adults as well as teens, the fear of being arrested is more likely to deter them from the illegal behavior of drinking and driving than the fear of being involved in an auto accident.
Preventing Teen Drunk Driving Through Graduated Driver Licensing
Rather than giving young drivers all of the driving privileges afforded to more experienced drivers all at once, the concept of allowing them to develop their driving skills more slowly under safer conditions is the foundation of graduated driver licensing systems. Privileges such as night driving and having passengers in the car with them are earned as they gain more experience driving. Research has shown that by affording new drivers privileges in stages, the chances of crashes are lower and fewer lives are lost.
Preventing Teen Drunk Driving – A Family Matter
No one has more incentive to prevent a teen from driving drunk than his or her family members. Keeping their son or daughter, brother or sister, safe from harm is important to everyone alike. Parents who stay involved in their children’s driving experiences are integral to any teen’s safe transition from passenger to driver, especially when it comes to setting a good example and enforcing safe and legal behavioral standards. Establishing rules and expectations and keeping an honest and open line of communication about such issues as drinking and driving helps to keep risky driving habits to a minimum and, accordingly, keeps accident rates lower. Reports show that nearly two-thirds of all teens have had alcohol at one point or another and, despite all of the best efforts that may be made to prevent teens from drinking in the first place, a teen who feels comfortable calling his or her parent if he or she has had a drink translates into one fewer unsafe driver on the road.
Contact the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers For Help With Your Auto Accident Matter
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers is the place to turn to for competent and complete legal representation. Choosing the right lawyer is the best step you can take towards getting the best possible outcome for your auto accident case. The determined car crash attorneys in Ohio at the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers have the experience you can count on when you have suffered losses of any kind due to an accident. At your initial consultation, you will learn about your rights and responsibilities under Ohio law and how the court process works. Allow us to help you get the results you deserve – contact the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers today to schedule your initial no cost, no obligation consultation and learn how we can help you get the relief you are entitled to receive.
