In a car accident over the weekend on Route O in Western Boone county, three teens were hurt in a one-vehicle accident . The Missouri State Highway patrol report indicated that all family friends stated the teen boys were all football teammates in Columbia, Missouri.
According to reports, a seventeen-year old driver was allegedly driving at a high speed when his car went off the roadway and hit some trees . Two 16-year old boys were also hurt in the crash and one was taken to University Hospital via Staff for Life helicopter after being removed from the car. All three teens remain hospitalized, however, their conditions could not be releases as they are minors. Emergency crews responded at around 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
As well, two eastern Missouri teens were killed just the Saturday before when their car flew off the road, hit several trees and flipped over. This accident occurred around 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 16 near House Springs. The Missouri Highway Patrol said an 18-year old was driving and a 15-year old was the passenger. Both were taken to area hospitals were they were later pronounced dead. Both victims attended Northwest High School which has lost four students due to traffic accidents in the last years.
Car accident fatalities are always devastating, however, when young people are involved we are even more shocked and grieved because young people hold promise and optimism. Below are some statistics from the SaveMoLives.com website
- In 2012, 826 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes. Overall, since 2005, traffic deaths decreased by 37.6 percent
- Seven out of 10 Missourians killed in traffic crashes in 2011 were unbuckled
- Only 79 percent of Missourians wear their seat belt, well below the national average of 85 percent.
- Nearly thirty percent of Missouri traffic fatalities in 2012 involved a substance-impaired driver
- Leading causes of crashes include speeding, substance-impairment and inattention
Young Drivers
- Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people 15-20 years old
- Three out of four teens (13-19) killed in 2011 traffic crashes were not wearing a seatbelt
- Only 67 percent of Missouri teens wear their seatbelt
- One in four 2011 Missouri traffic crashes involve a young driver (under the age of 21).
These statistics do not imply that the drivers or the passengers in the two accidents mentioned above were not wearing seatbelts or violating speed road laws. Investigators and the Missouri Highway Patrol have and are continuing to investigate the contributing causes of the tragic accidents above. SaveMoLives.com is a website dedicated to driver safety for all kinds of vehicles sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. Teen drivers have been a topic of a recent blog post of mine and like all parents, I cringe at the statistics. At one time, we were all teen drivers. Unfortunately, the best a parent can do is make sure their child is capable and practiced at driving in a safe area and hope that they have taught them well. Accidents still happen to the best of teen drivers. And, it is one of the most tragic accidents imaginable.
At The Cagle Law Firm, we are experienced in car accidents and the many facets of a car accident. Every car accident is as different and as unique as the victims. Each victim has a personal story. Our attorneys work to learn the story of the victim personally. Victims are not just clients. If you have questions or if you do not know whether or not you even need a personal injury attorney, we can discuss your facts and help you determine if you need legal representation. Not every person who is in a car accident needs a personal injury attorney. If you have been injured of if your loved one was injured or killed in a car accident, then you may need legal representation. It is a painful time in the victims’ lives as well as the family and thinking about legal representation is rarely the first thing on your mind. Losing a family member or seeing them severely injured is overwhelming in of itself. We can assist you through the difficult days. Call us seven days a week, toll free (800)685-3302 or locally (314) 276-1681
Sources: 2 MO. teens killed when car leaves road, flips. ABC17.news.com 2/16/14
Teens hurt in Saturday crash on Route O: All three remained hospitalize Sunday afternoon. ABC.News.com 2/23/14