The state has been recognized for its efforts to reduce serious and fatal Illinois car accidents involving teenagers.
The Chicago car accident lawyers and the Illinois child injury attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage parents to visit the Operation Teen Safe Driving program with their young drivers.
Motor Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for one-third of all deaths. In 2007, 11 teens between the ages of 16 and 19 died every day in motor vehicle crashes.
Male teenagers are more than 1.5 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than young female drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC also reports newly licensed teens and teens with passengers are at increased risk of an accident — and the more passengers the greater the risk. Other risk factors include speeding, driving under the influence, low seat-belt usage rates, and inability to recognize and compensate for dangerous road situations.
The award for Illinois’ teen driving program came from the Roadway Safety Foundation and the Federal Highway Administration.
“Keeping teen drivers safe on the road is an obligation that we should all take seriously,” said Greg Cohen, executive director of the Roadway Safety Foundation. “As the most inexperienced drivers on our highways, continuing driver education programs for teens are absolutely essential. By talking to teens where they listen, Illinois has set a great example for every state to follow.”
Illinois’ peer-to-peer driving program, in partnership with Allstate Foundation and Ford Motor Company’s Driving Skills for Life program, challenges teens to develop school-wide programs to positively impact teen drivers. Safety advocates say the program resulted in a 40 percent reduction in teen driving deaths during 2007-08.
If your teenager has been involved in a Chicago car accident, call the Illinois child injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free appointment to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.