When teenagers first get their driver’s license, they naturally are excited to hit the road. For many teens, driving is their first taste of freedom. However, teens are incredibly inexperienced and more likely to take risks while driving. Consequently, a teen driver car accident in Tampa can be severe. If your teen was injured in a car accident that was caused by the negligence of another driver, our law firm can help.
When your teen driver gets into a car accident, as a parent your mind may be racing. Are they injured? How will this affect their life? Will they need medical treatment? Not only will you be worried about their health, but you also may be concerned about how this will affect your family financially. Having these questions and concerns are natural. Reach out to one of our skilled auto accident lawyers today to help get some of these questions answered and figure out what the next steps should be. We not only can help you determine how to proceed with an injury claim, but also help you find a doctor to treat your teen’s injuries. Your focus should only be on helping your teenager heal, we will take care of everything else.
Why Are Teen Drivers Dangerous?
Teenagers are some of the most dangerous drivers on the road because they are inexperienced and more likely to drive while distracted. Many young drivers choose to text and drive. This is dangerous for all motorists, but particularly for new drivers with less skill.
Additionally, many teenagers enjoy driving with their friends and often times they are playing loud music, too. Younger people are also more likely to take risks such as speeding. All of these factors contribute to the severity of teen driving accidents in Tampa. If your teenager was injured while one of their friends were driving and got into a car accident, you may be able to make an injury claim against the driver’s insurance company.
Texting While Driving Laws and Liability
Florida Statutes § 316.305 strictly prohibits drivers from operating motor vehicles while manually typing text communications into any electronic or text messaging device. The statute also allows any law enforcement officer to stop drivers who are texting or using handheld devices while behind the wheel of a vehicle and issue traffic citations.
Despite these laws, many teens still text and drive. Like adults who text and drive, a teenager who was texting is likely to bear liability for the accident. If the at-fault teenager received a citation from the police for texting while driving, it could strengthen your personal injury case.
Teen Drivers and Underage Drinking
As with adults, drinking and driving is extremely dangerous for teenagers. According to the Center for Disease Control, the risks of driving drunk are especially severe for adolescent drivers. When they do go out and drink, teens are more likely than adults to binge drink. This leads to higher blood alcohol levels before they get behind the wheel.
Additionally, teens are less experienced with drinking alcohol, leading to higher coordination issues. Teenagers’ inexperience with alcohol combined with their inexperience driving can cause devastating or even fatal car accidents.
Do Teen Drivers in Tampa Need PIP Insurance?
Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance is a form of auto coverage that pays for injuries you sustain in an accident regardless of who was at fault in the crash. Florida requires all drivers to carry personal injury protection coverage.
The minimum PIP coverage requirement is $10,000 per person. However, teen motorists should have higher coverage than the minimum required amount because they are new to driving and more likely to get into severe auto accidents.
Personal injury protection insurance covers most medical costs related to a car accident. If you suffer a disability as a result of the crash, PIP will pay up to 60 percent of your lost wages. If an accident leads to the loss of your loved one, PIP will also pay for the funeral and burial expenses.
How Can Our Attorneys Help You After a Teen Driving Car Accident in Tampa?
Suffering a severe injury or losing a child in a car accident is extremely painful. Your teenager may be experiencing significant mental anguish in addition to the physical debilitation an accident can cause. If you want to take legal action after such an incident, reach out to Hancock Injury Attorneys today.
Our legal team can handle every aspect of the legal process for you while you focus on your physical recovery. Attorney Mike Hancock can also help you navigate your PIP coverage, as he has experience working in insurance defense. Call our firm today to schedule a free consultation and speak with us about teen driver car accidents in Tampa.