Teen drivers are more likely to cause serious car crashes. When a teenager is behind the wheel, they elevate the risk of harm to other people in their car as well as people in other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. With their tendency to involve high speeds and risky maneuvers, teen driving accidents in Katy sometimes result in devastating injuries and fatalities.
If a young driver caused an accident that harmed you or someone in your family, you might be eligible to collect compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. A dedicated accident attorney could meet with you to help you explore your legal options.
Why Teenagers Are Prone to Vehicle Accidents
Inexperience leads to accidents. Without years of experience behind the wheel, young drivers are less likely to react appropriately under the circumstances or know how to handle unexpected concerns. For instance, if the car in front of a teen driver stops at a red light, the teen may not be familiar enough with their vehicle to know how to stop in time to leave adequate space. Young drivers might also not know how to respond to changing weather conditions. If a sudden rainstorm causes them to lose some visibility, a teen driver might not know what to do and could panic.
Teen drivers also tend to speed and engage in reckless driving behaviors, such as tailgating and drag racing. Teenagers might not think twice about getting behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs, even though there is no safe level of alcohol or drug use for people under the age of 21.
Another serious problem for teenagers is distracted driving. Teenagers are frequently glued to their cell phones and might text or look at their social media feeds while driving. When teen drivers have friends as passengers in the car, they can also get distracted.
Sadly, teen drivers and passengers are far less likely to wear seatbelts than adults. As a result, injuries to teenagers are often considerably more serious than they could have been if the teens had taken preventative measures. Seasoned Katy attorneys could determine whether a teen driver’s poor decisions were the primary cause of a crash.
Pursuing a Claim Against an At-Fault Teen Driver in Katy
People who experience injuries in crashes with teen drivers have the legal right to pursue fair compensation for their losses, regardless of how old the driver was at the time of the crash. To prevail in lawsuits involving accidents with teen drivers, an injured person in Katy must prove the teenager was negligent. Teenagers need to obey the same rules of the road as adult drivers. If they breach that duty of care and fail to follow the rules of the road, they can be held liable.
In most cases, the teen driver’s insurance company would pay the injured claimant’s damages. However, if the damages are greater than the driver’s insurance policy’s limits, a dedicated legal team could help an injured passenger or person in another vehicle look for other potential sources of liability. Although the driver might have limited assets as a teenager, the injured claimant might be able to sue the child’s parents, particularly if the parents failed to supervise their teenager’s driving practices or let them use their car.
Meet With a Katy Attorney After an Accident With a Teen Driver
Teen driving accidents in Katy can be heart-wrenching. Compassionate attorneys understand how challenging pursuing a claim can be after a traumatic crash involving a young driver and could work tirelessly to minimize your stress.
Regardless of how old the driver was, if they harmed you or someone you love, you deserve the opportunity to hold them accountable. Call KGS Law Group to meet with a member of our legal team.