Car accidents happen much more often than they should in Cleveland, and a disproportionately high number of collisions involve teen drivers. As a result of a variety of factors, including inexperience behind the wheel and distractions, the risk of a collision involving a driver between the ages of 16 and 19 is higher than the risk for any other age group, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It is important for parents and guardians to understand the risks of teen driving and motor vehicle collisions, and it is essential to speak with a car accident lawyer if you have been injured in a collision involving a teen driver or if your teenager was harmed in an accident with another motorist.
As an experienced car crash lawyer in Cleveland, I have been representing clients in Ohio for decades, and I can help you and your family to seek the compensation you need and deserve. In the meantime, you should learn more about teen car accidents and what parents can do to prevent collisions.
Getting the Facts About Teen Car Accidents
How often do teen car accidents happen? And what behaviors make teen driving particularly risky? The following are significant facts and figures from the CDC, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the National Safety Council (NSC):
- Nearly 2,400 teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. in 2017;
- Around 300,000 teens require treatment in an emergency department each year for injuries in a traffic crash;
- About 19 teens die in car accidents every day on average;
- While teens between the ages of 16-19 represent only about 6.5% of the U.S. population, they account for 8% of all motor vehicle injury costs, totaling more than $13 billion annually;
- Male teen drivers are at two times greater risk of a fatal collision than are female teen drivers;
- When teens drive in cars with teenage passengers, the accident risk increases; and
- Teens who have had a driver’s license for under a year are at greater risk of being involved in a serious or fatal collision.
Statute of Limitations in a Teen Car Accident Claim
If you are injured in a traffic collision involving a teen driver, how much time do you have to file a lawsuit? Whether the teen driver or another motorist was at fault, most car accident claims must be filed within two years from the date of the collision under Ohio law (Ohio Rev. Code Section 2305.10). This clock is known as the statute of limitations, and it starts to tick on the date of a person’s accident or injury.
When an injured party waits too long to file a lawsuit and the clock runs out, then the car accident claim will become a time-barred lawsuit under Ohio law. Once a claim is time-barred, it is difficult and often impossible to file a lawsuit to seek financial compensation.
Contact Me to File a Claim
If you were injured in a crash caused by a teen driver, or if your teenage driver was injured in a collision, you should learn more about options for filing a car accident claim. I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call me at 877.944.4373 to learn more about how I can help with your case.
