Seven people were injured in a San Francisco car accident after a 15-year-old with a learner's permit lost control of the station wagon she was driving and collided head-on with another vehicle. According to a news report in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the injury collision occurred the afternoon of August 12, 2010 on West Beach Street in Pajaro Dunes.

The teen driver allowed a front tire of her 1992 Subaru Legacy to go onto the gravel shoulder of the roadway, overcorrected, before entering opposing lanes of traffic. She then crashed head-on into a 1993 Geo Prizm. The 27-year-old driver of the Prizm and his 44-year-old male passenger sustained fractures and internal injuries. The teen driver of the Subaru, her mother and two other teens in the back seat suffered minor injuries, while another 16-year-old girl sustained major leg injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to everyone who was injured in this tragic crash. I wish them all the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Teen Driving Statistics

According to a 2008 study released by the Auto Club, car accidents involving teen drivers, ages 15 to 17, costs California about $2.8 billion annually and more than $34 billion nationwide. This is money that includes medical expenses, loss of wages, property damage, loss of quality of life and other related expenses for the year 2006. These numbers were reportedly calculated based on 66,785 crashes that occurred in 2006. That includes 177 fatalities and 27,869 personal injuries, according to the report.

Importance of a GDL Program

In this particular case, officials say the teen did nothing wrong and followed all the rules. But her inexperience proved costly for the two men and a young girl who were seriously injured in this crash. Such accidents remind us of the importance of improving the graduated driver licensing (GDL) program in California. GDL has been a proven measure to reduce injuries and deaths from accidents involving teen drivers. GDL eases teens into driving by requiring them to practice more, and limits their exposure to danger by requiring them, for example, not to drive at night.

In 1998, the state of California enacted a new law requiring all new teen drivers to go through a three-step process in order to get a driver's license. This includes going through 50 hours of supervised driving. However, in this particular case, the accident happened in spite of the fact that all rules were followed. This clearly shows more needs to be done to ensure the safety of our youngest drivers and others with whom they share the roads.

Victims' Claim for Compensation

Victims of such accidents would be well-advised to contact an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer to get more information about their legal rights and options. Victims and their families could seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, long-term care and other related damages.

What steps do you take as a parent to ensure that the teen drivers in your home are safe?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.

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