Being on the road in Louisiana always carries with it a certain amount of risk regardless of the time of year. However, there are certain times when it is statistically more dangerous than others. In what is known as the “100 deadliest days of summer” from Memorial Day to Labor Day, it is a time when people are more prone to being in a fatal accident. This is particularly true for teens. When there is an accident and a fatality, those who have suffered the loss of a loved one must be cognizant of the need for a full investigation to determine the cause and how to proceed with a legal filing to receive compensation.
Because teens tend to take more chances, there is a belief that they are vulnerable to accidents. Stories abound discussing accidents throughout the nation in which a teen was either driving while distracted, was under the influence, operated the vehicle recklessly or was in an accident due to simple inexperience. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that in the past quarter-century there has been a statistical decrease in the number of teens who get behind the wheel after drinking. However, drivers 16 to 20 have 17 times the likelihood of dying in a motor vehicle accident if they register 0.08 percent blood-alcohol concentration when compared to drivers who have not been drinking. That is the percentage that most states use to declare a driver drunk.
Friday and Saturday are days on which most youngsters are killed in a crash involving alcohol. These accidents are not solely due to the teens drinking either. There is a greater chance of young people dying in an accident with an adult who was under the influence. Distracted driving is increasingly problematic as well. In three out of every five accidents involving a teen, distracted driving is a factor. In the summer, there is an average of 260 teens dying in car crashes for every month. That is a rise of more than 25 percent in other months.
Given the knowledge of how the summer months have an increase in fatal accidents, everyone – not just teens and their parents – must be cautious. Unfortunately, all the caution in the world will not prevent some accidents and fatalities from happening. Those who have been injured or who have lost a loved one in a crash must remember the importance of an investigation into how the accident happened. This can be critical to a wrongful death legal filing and recovery.
