Spring Break Teen Driver Accidents in Pennsylvania and Why Inexperienced Drivers Pose Greater Risks

In Pennsylvania, Spring Break is the unofficial beginning of the warmer months. After enduring months of cold, snowy weather, Pennsylvanians can shed a layer or two and enjoy the sunshine beginning in Mid-March. However, with sunshine and warmer temperatures comes an increase in car accidents. 

Specifically, teen driver accidents increase steadily each year as Spring Break approaches. A higher concentration of inexperienced teenage drivers on Pennsylvania’s already congested roads and highways creates a perfect storm of car-accident conditions. Many times, these teen drivers are getting behind the wheel for the first time without their parents riding in the passenger seat.  

Suffering an injury because of the negligence of a teenage driver can leave an accident victim with many questions. Turn to an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney for more information and specialized help in the areas you are in most need of assistance. Our team, with Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., helps injury victims understand why Spring Break driving can be so treacherous when it comes to car accidents created by teenage drivers. 

What Makes Teenage Drivers So Much More Likely To Cause A Car Accident?

Without a doubt, the reason why teenage drivers cause more than their fair share of car accidents each Spring Break is due to their inexperience behind the wheel. After spending the Fall and Winter months learning how to drive and ultimately earning their driver’s licenses, the Spring months see these new drivers take to the roads on their own for the first time. Unfortunately, these inexperienced teenage drivers are more prone to misjudgments and mistakes when exercising their newfound ability to drive solo. 

Driving To and From High School Means Distracted Driving for Teens

One of the most common places a teenage driver will be traveling to and from is their local high school. It also means that these teenage drivers are more than likely operating their vehicles at the same time as many other motorists in the morning and late afternoon hours. As other drivers drop off or pick up younger children at school and head to work, teenage drivers are trying to make their way from their neighborhoods to their high schools. 

All the while, these teen drivers are dealing with their fair share of distractions. Picking up friends, going through restaurant drive-thrus, and keeping an eye on their cell phones are all ample opportunities for bad outcomes while behind the wheel. Even more experienced teenage drivers around area college campuses are still more prone to dangerous driving due to their age and inexperience. 

Congested roadways and distracted, inexperienced drivers make for a dangerous combination of conditions. It does not take much for a teenage driver to lose track of where they are on the road due to a moment’s distraction. These teens lack the skill to anticipate traffic conditions or the necessary stopping time to avoid rear-end accidents. What older drivers can get away with when it comes to distractions is something that inexperienced teenage drivers cannot. 

Consider the Increased Risk of Driving at Night for Teenage Drivers

The Fall and Winter months in Pennsylvania have short days in terms of sunlight. As Spring Break approaches, the days finally start to become longer. With that said, teen drivers are able to stay out longer without having to handle the additional challenges associated with dusk and nighttime driving. 

Experience driving at night and in poorly lit conditions makes a significant difference in the overall performance of a driver. Teens, simply put, lack the experience to navigate streets in these conditions. The overconfidence and distractibility of teenagers make nighttime driving a challenge not only for them but also for other drivers trying to avoid car accidents. 

Which Types of Accidents Are Most Commonly Caused by Teenage Drivers?

Some accidents occur more commonly among teenage drivers than among other motorists. 

• With increased pedestrian and cyclist traffic around college and high school campuses, there has been an unfortunate uptick in auto-pedestrian and auto-cyclist accidents. 
• The failure to use a turn signal and to check their side mirrors causes teen drivers to sideswipe fellow motorists more frequently. 
• Simply put, teenage drivers have less experience behind the wheel compared to their older counterparts. This difference in experience manifests as an inability to anticipate road conditions. Consider that a teen driver may not give themselves enough time to turn at an intersection, resulting in a crash with an oncoming vehicle. 
• The classic teenage driver accident, however, is the rear-end. Teenage drivers are notorious for driving distractedly. Even if the teen driver is not distracted, he or she may simply have been following the vehicle in front too closely. 

How Can Teen Driver Accidents Be Prevented?

The keys to preventing or reducing the likelihood of an accident among teenage drivers are no different from those for any other cohort of motorists. However, some tips apply more readily to teens due in large part to their age and relative inexperience behind the wheel:

• Teenagers need to have their phones stowed either in the center console or completely out of reach. This significantly reduces the likelihood of a distraction while driving. 
• Similarly, many teens find themselves driving their friends, teammates, and neighbors to and from school, practice, and other activities. Parents can further reduce distractions by implementing a no-passenger rule when their child is driving. 
• Practice may not make perfect, but it can make a better driver. Teenagers should practice driving with a parent to continue honing their skills across a variety of road conditions. 

Contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C, for a Free Case Review

Have you been injured by a teenage driver this Spring Break? Contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. for a free case review. A Philadelphia car accident attorney fights for their clients’ rights inside and outside the courtroom.