On Saturday afternoon, a crash on Big Island Road in Rutherford County took the life of a 15-year-old girl. This one-car crash happened when the driver apparently lost control of his vehicle while trying to negotiate a curve on Big Island Road. The truck ran off the roadway and went down an embankment. The vehicle hit several trees before it came to rest.
WLOS ABC News Channel 13 reports that the victim was a passenger in the truck which was being driven by a 16-year-old boy who recently got his driver’s license. At this time, authorities are saying that excessive speed and inexperience were factors in this crash. Sadly, this is the second teen crash fatality in Rutherford County this year.
Teen Drivers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that motor vehicle wrecks are the number one cause of death for children ages 14 to 18 years old. Sadly, nearly half of all teen drivers involved in crashes die. The NHTSA encourages parents to talk to their children about safety behind the wheel. Parents can find great resources at Safercar.gov’s “5 to Drive” site. They offer great ways to start a dialogue about five important safety topics for teen drivers, including distracted driving, extra passengers, speeding, alcohol and seat belts usage.
Excessive Speed
Speed limits are posted to keep roadway users safe. On average, 1,000 people are killed in crashes involving high speed each month, across the country. The NHTSA reports that 32 percent of all drivers aged 15 to 24 years old involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the wreck. For drivers under the age of 21 involved in fatal crashes, 38 percent of male drivers were speeding and 24 percent of female drivers were speeding at the time of the crash.
The death of a community member can be incredibly devastating, but even more so when children and young adults lose their lives. The team at Davis Law Group, P.A. sends their deepest condolences to the family members, friends and classmates of the 15-year-old girl who lost her life in this wreck.