Once a teenager reaches the age where he or she can apply for a driver’s license, the young person may become enthusiastic about being able to drive legally. Teenagers might wish to share their enthusiasm with their friends, inviting them to tag along as passengers. Unfortunately, passengers might cause distractions that might result in an accident on a California road.
Teen drivers and passengers
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenagers who transport teen passengers face increased risks of a crash. The more teen or young adult passengers inside the vehicle, the greater the chances of an accident. A cursory review of teen accident statistics reveals those risks could be deadly. 2020 saw 2,800 teens lose their lives in auto accidents, and 227,000 suffered injuries.
A teenager will lack experience behind the wheel, and inexperience could affect how the young person deals with hazards and distractions. Passengers in the vehicle may cause distractions, leading to accidents. Sometimes, merely carrying on a conversation with passengers is enough to cause a momentary distraction that makes a collision unavoidable.
Liabilities and teen drivers
As with all other drivers, teenagers must follow safe practices when driving. If their negligence leads to a crash, they should expect to face a lawsuit, which would be the case in many motor vehicle accidents. Talking to passengers instead of paying attention to the road could reflect a driver who was not paying attention to the road.
Teen drivers who behave recklessly by speeding or driving under the influence could cause severe accidents. The legal fallout may involve victims seeking substantial compensation. The driver might rely on their insurance policy to cover the losses, but litigation may be unavoidable.