Over the past decade, speeding has accounted for nearly one-third of all car crash fatalities. Teenagers are among the highest group of drivers on U.S. roadways who engage in this risky behavior. According to a study by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 85 percent of all teenagers admit to speeding. When they do—the results can be tragic.
Teen Driver’s Speeding Causes Deadly Accident
On Wednesday, May 7th, speeding claimed yet another young victim. The accident occurred in the 1400 block of Pates Creek Road in Henry County. Three teens were in the car when it veered off the roadway and landed in a ditch. All three teens were students at Duchtown High School.
According to Henry County Police Lieutenant Jason Bolton, the teenage male who was driving the car, was doing so recklessly and at high speed. He stated that the teen over-corrected as he was trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle. The car landed in the ditch, where it then rolled over at least one time. All three teens were ejected from the vehicle.
Tragically, one of the victims, identified as Jasmine Poole, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The two other teens, one male and one female, were airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in downtown Atlanta. The female was listed as being in stable condition, and the driver’s condition is unknown.
The Dangers of Speeding
Area residents claim this section of Pates Creek Road is well known for speeding. The reasons why speeding is so dangerous for drivers and their passengers are numerous, including the following:
- Speeding reduces the driver’s ability to stop the vehicle. Braking systems can overheat and fail if the car is speeding.
- Speeding impairs the driver’s reaction time.
- Speeding reduces the ability of other drivers to react to the speeding vehicle as well.
- Cars are not designed to travel at high speed, even if they are capable of doing so. The ability to reach those speeds is meant to get the car moving or up a hill.
- Roads are typically too narrow to accommodate for high speeds.
- Speeding can result in skidding, which can cause the driver to lose all control over the vehicle.
Regardless of whether speeding caused this fatal accident, no young teen should lose their life or suffer injury as a result of a crash. The attorneys at Kaufman Law extend their deepest sympathies to the families of all three teenagers.
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