Practice Areas

Blog

News

Library

Testimonials

Nighttime Driving is Dangerous for Southern California Teens – Find Out Why

As teens drive along PCH and other roads in Southern California, it’s common to see them talking on their cell phones. Although California has banned the use of handheld devices, as well as texting, cell phones are still distracting teen drivers.

If you are a parent or caregiver of a teenager, you need to become aware of a recent study that links nighttime driving and teen driving deaths. The study was completed by the Texas Transportation Institute and examined a 10-year time period, spanning from 1999 to 2008. According to the study, the proportion of fatal crashes that occurred at night involving drivers 16 to 19 years of age, went up nationwide by 10 percent.

The study authors have attributed this increase to cell phones.

“We know driving at night is dangerous. We know using a cell phone behind the wheel compromises your ability to drive. Put those together and you’ve created a perfect storm,” said Bernie Fette, senior research specialist for the Texas Transportation Institute.

During the study, researchers evaluated data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). While FARS’ information regarding cell phone and texting is incomplete, the study authors pointed to the tremendous increase in cell phone use, especially among young people.

Fette told the Associated Press that nighttime driving has inherent dangers of decreased visibility and slower response due to driver fatigue. Those dangers become even greater for teens, as they are inexperienced drivers.

According to the study, in 2008, there were 4,322 fatal crashes that involved drivers who were 16 to 19 years of age. Among those crashes, 2,148 took place in the evening, accounting for nearly half of all the deadly accidents that year among that age group. The trend that the study authors found didn’t coincide with the overall trend of fatal crashes.

If you have been hurt in a Southern California car accident caused by a distracted driving or some other form of negligence, you may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries. Contact an experienced Santa Monica car accident attorney at Steinberg & Spencer Injury Lawyers at (800) 989-6385. You can also fill out our online contact form.

Testimonials

FAQ

Contact Us

Affiliated RSS Feed