The combination of teen drivers and distracted driving can make the roads in California treacherous. Because texting and driving and other distracted driver behaviors have become so commonplace, law enforcement is actively trying to tamp down on the practice. First, they tried educational means. Now, they are planning to crack down on teens who drive while distracted with an enforcement blitz. This is a good step, but not everyone can be caught and cited. With that, there will be auto accidents with injuries and fatalities due to this issue. People who have been hurt or lost a loved one should be cognizant of how to recover compensation.
A federal grant is allowing the California Highway Patrol to move forward with education and enforcement for teen distracted drivers. The idea is to stop these inexperienced drivers from increasing the danger they face and pose to other drivers by driving while distracted. Law enforcement states that the most common way in which teens die is in an auto accident. By conducting traffic stops and increasing citations, the goal is to prevent teens from driving while distracted.
Statistically, young drivers have triple the chance of being in a distracted driving crash than adults. Along with enforcement, there will be educational programs and other community-based events to show teens how dangerous it is to drive distracted. The campaign is set to last for a year. A spokesperson for Impact Teen Drivers – a participant in the program – says that preventable auto accidents lead to an average of 11 teen deaths each day. A substantial number of California teens die in these accidents because of texting and driving and other distracting behaviors.
It is a positive step for road safety that law enforcement and other groups want to educate teens on safe driving. That includes showing just how risky it is to drive while distracted and enforcing the law. However, drivers will still get behind the wheel and believe they can multitask safely. This is especially problematic with teens. Distracted driving is an ongoing concern and people who have been hurt or had a loved one killed in auto accidents should consider whether distracted driving was a cause. This can be a key part of a lawsuit. To move forward with a case, it is wise to have legal help to conduct a full investigation. Calling for legal advice is the first step.