Statistics have continued to confirm the popular perception that even generally honest and well-behaved teenagers are more prone to having accidents when they get behind the wheel. Nationwide, car accidents continue to be the number one killer of people ages 16 to 19. Perhaps more disturbingly, teen drivers account for almost 8.5% of all costs and expenses connected with bodily injuries from car accidents. This is problematic since people ages 15 to 19 make up only 6.5% of the overall population, meaning that this segment is contributing to a disproportionate share of injury costs.
Fortunately, California has some things to smile about when it comes to teen drivers and traffic safety. For instance, although considered the 18th best state for teen drivers overall, it ranks high, 6th overall, in terms of safety statistics. What this means is that, relatively speaking, California is not seeing a lot of teen fatalities from car accidents or a lot of cases involving drunk or drugged teen drivers.
Likewise, California has what those who compiled this study believed to be a healthy legal system, which requires new drivers to graduate in to more and more responsibility. In other words, California teens must successfully prove themselves on the road with restricted driving privileges before taking on full responsibilities for a motor vehicle.
California teens, although young, will likely still be responsible for any car accidents they cause through their negligence. Like other drivers, they must carry insurance and they must be prepared to pay damages if their careless or reckless behavior leaves another motorist injured. A victim of a negligent teen driver may be able to recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.
