It may be difficult for the excitement expressed by new drivers in Missouri to not rub off on to others. Yet that excitement is often tempered by the fact that new drivers pose of greater risk of causing car accidents than other demographics. This is due to statistics showing that teens are more likely to engage in reckless driving behaviors, such as driving while intoxicated, speeding, or driving at odd hours.
The need to avoid such practices becomes more clear with experience, and most realize the need for teen drivers to gain that experience. Unfortunately, that process can often end in disastrous results for some.
Multiple teens injured in car crash on Highway B
This fact was on full display in a recent accident at occurred in Jefferson County. The local Fox News outlet reports that a vehicle traveling along Highway B lost control and struck another vehicle. Law enforcement authorities believe that the teen driving the car failed to negotiate a turn properly, and that failure led to the accident. He suffered serious injuries in the accident; his two passengers also sustained injuries in the crash. One (a 14-year-old girl from Hillsboro) later succumbed to those injuries.
A driver’s responsibility to passengers
Reports from the accident state that neither passenger was wearing their seatbelt (while the driver was). Many may say that passengers have the responsibility to ensure that they wear their seatbelts. While there may be some merit to such a claim, ultimately it is up to a driver to ensure the safety of their passengers. Recklessness or poor judgment on their part may indeed warrant liability. Pursuing a claim due to such liability may be much easier if one has reliable legal resources to fall back on.