Texting by teen drivers remains a worry

Teens are, as the old saying goes, our future. Sometimes that future can appear rather tenuous, as when a teen driver gets behind the wheel of a car. As any parent of a teen driver in Columbia can attest, there is always some level of concern when a teen driver pulls away, alone for the first time.

While many all drivers face the wide variety of risks when driving, young drivers have even more risk factors than the rest of the driving public. They are young and sometimes inherently reckless. They are very inexperienced. Every road condition, from heavy traffic, to rain and snow, may be their first encounter.

And they have cellphones. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are a significant number of teens who admit to texting within the 30 days preceding the survey. The CDC found 41.4 percent admitted they had texted while driving.



Texting while driving is of great concern for teen drivers, because they grown up never knowing a world where they cannot instantly connect via the glowing piece of glass in their hands.

Studies have shown the danger of texting is similar to drunk driving, which 10 percent of teen drivers also admit to. Car accidents, in addition to fatalities, also cause millions of injuries every year.

Determining the cost of a life-long set of injuries to a teen driver is a complex calculation, and an attorney’s goal in these cases is to ensure the compensation is adequate to provide for all of their needs.

However, avoiding these types of accidents should be driver’s goal.

Source: NBCNews.com, “Teen Smoking, Sex Hit New Lows But Texting, Fat Are New Dangers,” Maggie Fox, June 12, 2014