Reported Cases of Fatal Car Accident With Teen Driving Texting

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. Statistics indicate that 35% of all teenage deaths occur because of car crashes.* More teenagers lose their lives in car crashes than to suicide, heart disease and cancer combined.

While it is hard to know for certain how many of these fatal crashes are caused by texting, national statistics indicate that about 16% of fatal crashes involving teenagers are caused by distracted driving.

As a parent, a teenager, a relative or a friend, these statistics are chilling. The thought of losing your life, losing your child, or losing a loved one in a preventable car accident is overwhelming. Yet, it is happening all too often on our streets.

A quick glance at the evening news or morning paper often shares the story of another teenager who has died in texting and driving accident. Parents are left to mourn, friends are left to cope with a death that has happened too soon, and a young person is denied the chance to become an adult and live a full life.
For these reasons, we must learn from the reported cases of fatal car accidents caused by teen texting and act to prevent further tragedies.

The question becomes what do we do next? Have you done anything to prevent your own teen from texting and driving? Please share your ideas in the comments and you may be able to help another family prevent a tragedy.

*Source: CDC Policy Impact: Teen Driver Safety