West Palm Beach Teen Driver Accidents

Young drivers are the most inexperienced drivers, as well as among the drivers most prone to distraction while behind the wheel. Teen drivers are not familiar with how to react to road conditions and may be less cautious than other drivers. Given these tendencies, teen drivers pose a greater risk of causing accidents. Teens are also more likely to be involved in deadly collisions than drivers of most other ages. The West Palm Beach car accident lawyers at Donaldson & Weston represent victims of teen driver accidents in personal injury claims to help them seek the compensation necessary for their recovery. Our firm assists people who were injured or lost a loved one as a result of a collision involving a teen driver, as well as any other serious accident. If you need legal guidance following a car crash, contact our office today to find out more about our services.

The School District of Palm Beach County is the 13th-largest public school district nationwide, and the fifth-largest in the state. West Palm Beach alone is home to over 50 public and private high schools, including Royal Palm Beach High School, Forest Hill Community High School, and Palm Beach Gardens Community High School. With such a large teenaged population, many novice drivers obtain licenses each year in the area, not to mention people from neighboring communities who are driving to meet friends or family. Summer months, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, are the most dangerous for young West Palm Beach drivers. Since teenagers are on breaks from school, they are more likely to borrow the family car, and more teen drivers are on the road. In a teenager’s initial year of driving, one in five is involved in an accident.

With so many teen drivers, the potential for serious accidents is high, for young drivers are more likely to speed, disobey traffic rules, or text while driving. These actions can lead to significant injuries to teen drivers, passengers, and other motorists. Injuries common in a car crash with a teen driver include spinal cord injuries and brain trauma, and they sometimes may even be fatal.

Regardless of age, drivers have a legal duty to act reasonably behind the wheel in order to keep the roadways safe. This duty is owed to other motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. When a teen driver acts carelessly in a way that would be unreasonable, causing a teen driver accident and related injuries, a victim may pursue damages through a personal injury claim. If liability is established, usually with a showing of negligence, a victim can be compensated for any medical costs incurred, as well as those anticipated in the future, in addition to property damage, loss of income, and lost earning capacity damages.

In the devastating event that a teen driver accident leads to the loss of a life, certain relatives may pursue a wrongful death claim on the victim’s behalf, pursuant to Florida’s Wrongful Death Act. Under Florida’s statute of limitations, personal injury claims must be filed within four years from the date of the injury, and wrongful death claims must be pursued within two years from the victim’s death.