Summer: The 100 Deadliest Days of the year

Researchers commonly refer to the Summer months – between Memorial Day and Labor Day – as the “100 deadliest days” for young drivers. Since July is the height of Summer, the risks can increase even more during that time. During the Summer, teens do not have to worry about “school nights” and generally have less supervision, especially if their parents work. They spend more time driving around with their friends and going to parties.

This can also lead to an increase in underage drunk drivers, which can often be a deadly combination. Teen drivers can be less aware of the risks of dangerous driving than more seasoned drivers. In addition, they may be overly confident and think they can handle risky situations on the road. In reality, teens usually do not have the experience needed to react and respond in the face of a potential crash. Add in dangerous behaviors and it should be no surprise that fatal accidents happen involving teens. Teen drivers often engage in the following:

• Distracted driving, including texting, changing music, and talking to friends
• Impaired driving after using drugs or alcohol
• Driving at night, beyond the time authorized on their license
• Driving with more people in the car than authorized on their license
• Speeding

Negligent or reckless teen drivers can cause serious or fatal injuries to passengers in their own cars and to occupants of other vehicles. Parents should always prepare their teenage children for these risky days on the road, but that cannot stop young drivers from making mistakes or poor decisions that lead to crashes. Suffering injuries or losing a loved one in a car crash can completely alter your life in an instant. You should know that you may have important legal rights under Pennsylvania law as an accident victim. If someone else caused your accident, you may seek financial recovery for:

• Medical bills
• Costs of future medical care
• Past and future lost earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent impairments
• Wrongful death

Insurance companies can be difficult to deal with, even if liability for an accident is clear. Before starting the process, please discuss your case with one of our skilled lawyers who can help you through every stage of your case.

80,000 people suffered injuries in car accidents in Pennsylvania in 2017 and many of those crashes took place in the Philadelphia area. If you drive in the city, you should always be fully aware of the risk factors for auto accidents. One factor is that the roads can become deadlier in the month of July. Statistics indicate that while July 2017 did not have the highest number of accidents – that honor went to December – July did have the most traffic-related fatalities. You only have to glance at the news headlines recently to know that July remains a dangerous month to be driving on the Philly streets. The following are only some examples of accidents that occurred in only the first half of the month.

• July 9th – A driver who was reportedly speeding crashed into parked cars and all five occupants of the moving car went to the hospital with various injuries.
• July 11th – A single-car rollover crash on I-95 resulted in a fatality.
• July 13th – A driver ran a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle after suffering an unspecified medical emergency.
• July 15th – Two cars crashed into one another, sending one of the vehicles up onto the front porch of a local’s home.
• July 15th – After a car hit a tree in Montgomery County, two people had to be airlifted by medevac due to serious injuries.
• July 16th – Five school buses carrying 67 kids and ten adults rear-ended one another in nearby Medford, requiring 24 people to seek treatment for injuries.

The above, of course, are only some accidents that made the news, and these reports only cover the first half of the month. Many more likely occurred that the news did not report, despite injuries and significant property damage, and many more will happen during the rest of July.

Did a Drunk Driver Hit You over July 4th?

One reason why July sees a spike in tragic accidents may be that the month contains likely the biggest Summer holiday – the 4th of July. This holiday is widely celebrated with festivals, barbecues, parties, and road trips, and many of these celebrations involve having some beers or other alcoholic drinks. Unfortunately, some people decide to try to drive their vehicles after they have been drinking – sometimes, all afternoon or evening. With more drunk drivers out on the road, the risks of getting hit by a drunk driver significantly increase.

Police in Philadelphia work to enforce impaired driving laws during high-risk periods, such as July 4th and other holidays. However, police officers cannot discover and arrest every drunk driver before they cause crashes and injuries. If a drunk driver collided with your car and you or a family member sustained serious injuries, that dangerous driver should be liable for all of your losses. Often, the police will arrive at the scene of a drunk driving accident and arrest the driver for driving under the influence (DUI). A DUI conviction can play an important role in a car accident claim but is not necessary to succeed in getting compensation. You should discuss any recent drunk driving accident and your resulting injuries with a Philadelphia car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Contact our Experienced Philadelphia Car Accident Attorneys for Free

The personal injury lawyers at Philly Injury Lawyer are ready to help you after a car accident. We can evaluate your rights and the best course of action to seek compensation.

We know that you are already under stress from your injuries, so let us navigate insurance claims and the legal process for you. Consultations are always free and you never pay us unless we are successful in your claim. Call our attorneys at 215-735-4800 or contact us online to learn more today.