Teenage drivers are involved in many car accidents in New York. These accidents may result from lack of experience, following other drivers too closely, failing to yield the right-of-way, failing to pay attention to the road, unsafe driving, and speeding.

Moreover, failure to properly use seatbelts causes serious injury or death for many teenage drivers. This is in spite of the law that mandates proper use of seatbelts while riding in a vehicle with a junior licensed driver.

The rate of teen car accidents is higher than that of any other age group according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drivers between 16 and 19 years of age are at fault more frequently than older drivers with more experience. Teenagers might have less regard for the risk associated with a particular driver behavior or underestimate how long it takes to complete the maneuver.

They are also more likely to drive over speed limits and be distracted by conversations or texts. There is a higher chance that teenage drivers would disregard dangerous road conditions or fail to deal with them properly. The New York State Graduated Driver Licensing Law restricts unsupervised night driving for junior permit holders and junior licensed drivers.

Intersection accidents are extremely common in New York. Data shows that nearly 1/3^rd of all motor vehicle accidents in the urban areas of the state take place at intersections. A vast majority of these accidents are caused by the negligence of motorists who fail to obey the rules of the road.

An intersection, due to the very nature of its design, is dangerous for pedestrians, bicyclists, as well as motorists. At a place where two or more roads intersect with each other, all it takes is the slightest bit of negligence or miscalculation on a driver’s part to cause an accident.

While driving in New York, you might find yourself in a situation that calls for pulling over to the shoulder of the road. It might seem safe to do. However, it is one of the places on the road that is most fraught with danger.

For this reason, this step should only be taken in emergency situations when there are no other options. Statistics can clearly show the dangers of pulling off of the road, even in emergencies. The shoulder of the road is the place where more than 1,500 people get injured or killed annually.

Due to the dangers of this maneuver, determining liability can be complicated. It might be possible that a driver, while trying to pull over onto the shoulder, does not pull over far enough and obstructs the nearest lane.

This can dramatically increase the chance of an accident. Since oncoming cars can easily confuse vehicles on the shoulder as vehicles in a different lane, the probability of accidents can definitely increase. Often, this results in a crash.

U-turns are never so simple and safe as they appear. You would need to slow down your vehicle and turn across multiple opposing traffic lanes, which can leave you vulnerable to crashes. For this reason, U-turns remain prohibited in several places including the business districts of New York. Drivers should only attempt U-turns after being sure that they are legally permitted to do so and they are yielding to any oncoming traffic.

If a driver has caused you or a loved one an injury because of negligence during a legal or illegal U-turn, you might be entitled to monetary compensation for your injuries and other damages.

What Makes U-Turns Dangerous?

Unsafe lane changes can be incredibly risky – for the motorist who is moving into the lane as well as for the motorists that are already occupying the lane. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that unsafe lane changes are responsible for more than 530,000 accidents – accounting for approximately 10% of all roadway accidents – every year.

When a motorist suddenly decides to move into a lane, the risk of a collision is very high, as they might momentarily lose control of their vehicle and collide with another vehicle which is already occupying the lane. In some cases, the motorist who is already occupying the lane might notice the oncoming vehicle and try to take evasive maneuvers, which in turn might cause them to lose control of their vehicle and collide with another vehicle or a stationary object.

Unsafe Lane Change Accidents – A Look at the Most Common Contributing Factors