A teenager from Chicago may be facing charges after a recent five-car accident in Illinois, according to the Times. The young Chicago driver could face charges of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and fleeing and eluding.When local officers tried to pull the young driver over, he hit four vehicles near the intersection of Michigan City Road and Burnham Avenue. After the accident, the teen jumped out of his vehicle and took off on foot. Officers were able to apprehend him a short while after the incident.
Our Chicago accident attorneys understand that teenage drivers may be overwhelmed with the holiday traffic we see on our roadways during the last couple months of the year. For this reason, parents are urged to talk with the teens in your life about safe driving habits. Millions and millions of residents are expected to make their way to their holiday destination via motor vehicle this year. With the significant increase comes a significant increase in their risks for an accident. Parents should discuss the risks, dangers and consequences of poor driving habits behind the wheel, especially during the holiday season.
Traffic accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teens in the United States. These accidents account for one out of every three deaths in this young age group. Roughly eight teens died every day in 2009 because of car accidents. Per mile driven, they’re at the highest risk for a fatal accident compared to any other age group — four times more to be exact.
In 2009, there were roughly 3,000 teens who died on our roadways. Another 350,000 were injured. Although individuals between the ages of 14- and 25-years-old only account for less that 15 percent of the U.S. population, they cost the country nearly $30 billion for motor vehicle injuries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these safety tips for parents to share with their teen drivers as we head into the holiday driving season:
-Supervise your teen’s driving as often as possible. Provide them with positive feedback to boost their skills.
-Limit the number of passenger. More passengers can mean more distractions and can mean greater risks for a serious accident.
-Set a curfew. Teen car accidents are more likely to happen at night.
-Learn the state’s teen driving laws.
-Lead by example. Always exercise your own driving rules when your teen is riding in the vehicle with you.
-Discuss the importance and the reasoning for speed limits, traffic lights, other road laws and why all drivers need to abide by these rules.
-Encourage your teen driver to leave with plenty of time to get to their destination. This will avoid rushing, speeding and aggression.
-Keep an eye on current weather reports and avoid driving in poor weather conditions.
If you or your teen has been injured in a car crash, the Chicago injury attorneys and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free and confidential consultations. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.
Additional Resources:
16 year old takes dad’s car, crashes it, by Mallory Moretti, MPRI
More Blog Entries:
NSC Recognizes Illinois Resident for Efforts in the Fight against Teen Car Accident in Chicago, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, October 27, 2011
AAA Studies Teen Driver Risks to help Reduce Risks of Car Accidents in Illinois, Nation, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, October 20, 2011