Two years after a safety overhaul on teen driving laws, Maryland teen car crash death rates are down. According to the Annapolis Capital, 36 teens died in car accidents in 2010, as compared to 48 in 2009. Ultimately, the number of people, teens or otherwise, who died in car crashes with teens fell from 106 in 2008 to 64 in 2010.

The new laws reduced the number of passengers allowed in a vehicle operated by a teen. The law also restricted passengers to members of the teenagers families, or to passengers over the age of 18. Like a similar law in Virginia, the teen safety law also imposed a curfew for teens driving at night.

With school out for the summer, there are more inexperienced drivers on the road than ever. In fact, it’s one of the most common times of year for teenagers to get into car accidents. As Virginia car wreck injury lawyers who also have teenage sons and daughters, we are extremely concerned this time of year.

More teens die in car accidents between Memorial Day and Labor Day than any other time of year. Unfortunately, statistics indicate that teen drivers are dangerous at any time of year. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention did a study that showed teen drivers are four times more likely than other drivers to get into a car wreck, regardless of the time of year. Teen drivers need to protect themselves on the road.

Of course, with youth comes a sense of immortality, and many teen drivers push the speed limit and distract themselves with texting or chatting on their cell phones. With laws like the Maryland safety initiative and Virginia curfew, hopefully the number of car wreck deaths involving teens will continue to decline.

CD

About the Editors: The Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm, which has offices in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC), edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as pro bono services.