Accidental Teen Deaths Rise in the United States

A new report on teenage deaths in the United States makes sobering reading. It points to a rise in accidental teen deaths with car accidents a major contributing factor.

A report by CNN highlights a significant rise in accidental deaths, homicides and suicides among young people across the country.

It notes a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the total death rate for young people aged 10 to 19-years-old fell by 33 percent from 1999 to 2013 but suddenly spiked 12 percent from 2013 to 2016.

Accidental teen deaths are a major factor in the rise. The report lists traffic accident fatalities, drug overdoses, suicides and homicides rather than illnesses such as cancer or heart disease.

Generally, the leading causes of death among adolescents ages 15 to 19 are unintentional injuries like car wrecks, followed by suicide and homicide, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Globally car, truck and motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of deaths of 10- to 19-year-olds followed by lower respiratory infections and suicide, the World Health Organization states.

The report is based on the meticulous collection of information. It’s based on data from death certificates filed in every state in the country and the District of Columbia from 1999 to 2016. Death certificates are completed by doctors, funeral directors, medical examiners, and coroners.

Researchers then examined the data, took a close look at the age of the deceased and noted the cause of death.

In Virginia and North Carolina, teen deaths are a particular issue over the summer months. The period from Memorial Day is historically the 100 most dangerous days for teen drivers.

Over the last five years, an average of 10 people died every day in crashes involving teen drivers over those 100 deadly days.

AAA says many of those deaths were preventable. Nearly 60 percent of all teen crashes involved a distracted driver.

Texting remains a big problem among teen drivers. However, it is not the most serious distraction. AAA found cell phones were a factor in 12 percent of teen crashes, although researchers report the number of teenagers who text and use social media while driving is on the rise. The most serious distraction was other teen passengers.

I was alarmed to read about the rise in teen deaths in the United States. Despite a plethora of new safety features in cars, the number of young people losing their lives in traffic deaths in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth and elsewhere is rising. If your loved one has been killed in a crash, you may have grounds to sue another driver. Call our Virginia wrongful death attorneys today at (757) 333-3333.