Speeding, drinking are leading factors in fatal crashes involving teens, AAA says

June 03-- Jun. 3--It can happen in a split second but have lifelong and life ending repercussions.

Over the past five years, nearly 3,500 people were killed in crashes involving teenagers between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The number of teen involved crash fatalities historically rises when schools are closed, according to the American Automobile Association.

Not all that shocking is crash data from 2013 to 2017 which shows the major factors contributing to crashes -- 28% are attributed to speeding, 17% to drinking, while 9% are caused by distracted drivers.

"Crash data shows that teens are a vulnerable driver group with a higher probability of being involved in crashes," said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

"And while teens may make mistakes when first learning to drive, it is important to continue educating them about safety behind the wheel so they avoid the reckless behaviors that put themselves and others at risk on the road."

These crashes, whether fatal or not, send ripple effects not only into a household but also into the community and they can be prevented.

East Union Twp. police Chief Thomas "TJ" Rentschler said a crash risks the loss of a teen's vehicle and independence, brings costly fines and narrows their chances of being hired into certain fields, but most importantly causes injury.

"Your actions may cause something to happen to somebody else," Rentschler said. "There's so much more to it than just a simple accident."

Dr. Andrew Miller sees it in his role as acting vice chairman of the department of emergency medicine at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton.

Distracted driving, as well as alcohol and drug-related crashes, are a "huge problem," he said.

They can cause injuries that leave lifelong scars.

But, crashes can hurt other people, too -- drivers and loved ones.

From broken bones, some of which can be life-threatening, to head injuries like concussions, all the way to paralysis and death, his team has seen it all.

Miller treated a patient who drove his vehicle into a tree and broke his neck, leaving him paralyzed for life.

It was one of his worst days, informing the crash victim's mother that her son would never walk again.

Hospital personnel don't forget those bad days where a crash victim's loved ones, classmates and teammates pile into the waiting room only to hear the devastating news that medicine couldn't save the person.

"It's hard on the family but also on the staff," Miller said.

Miller said though you're in a car and you feel safe, when your eyes are off the road or you're intoxicated, things can get really bad, really quick.

"Seconds will change your life," he said.

Even if no one is hurt in a collision, it can result in an arrest, depending on the circumstances, and that can be life changing, too.

"Those decisions can haunt you the rest of your life," Miller said.

It also can drive up insurance costs.

Gary McNealis of Allstate in Hazle Twp. and Rush Twp. said being a young driver increases the cost of insurance "drastically." Add a crash involving that young driver into the mix and it could result in an increase amounting to as much as 50%, depending on the coverage they have and if the crash is chargeable to the policy.

Parents can also have another problem on their hands -- being held liable if their plan's bodily injury coverage isn't enough to cover expenses, McNealis said.

Many teens may feel like they're immortal, he said.

"Realize you're not and you have to be in control at all times," he said.

"You can't go fast, you can't multi-task while you're driving. Keep focused on the road. That's where young drivers break down because they don't have that experience to react quickly."

Rush Twp. police Chief Ken Zipovsky said there's a learning curve for teenage drivers.

"They're not necessarily the best drivers yet," he said.

Being able to avoid a collision with evasive action is something that comes with training and experience, he said.

Distractions can come easy while driving.

Just having passengers in the car can make a driver pay less attention, Zipovsky said, not to mention loud music and cellphones.

When teenagers first start driving, they may be told to drive defensively.

"This isn't every man for himself," Zipovsky said, noting drivers should always plan for every issue and be aware of their surroundings. As the weather gets warmer and the school year ends, it means more children will be playing outside and can run out into the street without warning.

"You can make one mistake that will have an impact on the rest of your life, if not physically, financially," he said.

About three years ago Rentschler was working a shift on a typical day when a call for a crash came over from 911. A man wrecked on Route 924, his car sailed off the road, smacked into a pole and flipped over.

The impact literally cut half of the man's face off, Rentschler said. So on top of losing his vehicle and other expenses, he had medical costs and likely permanent scarring on his face.

"It was just a normal day and that quick something like that can happen," Rentschler said.

He quickly recalled more.

A woman driving in Brandonville dropped something and as she reached for it, she came upon a curve, missed it and drove off the road, demolishing the car, though she escaped injury.

Then there was a guy who was driving home after a 16-hour shift at work and his drowsiness caused him to hit a pole near Oneida.

Sleep deprivation is a distraction, and studies show it's comparable to driving impaired, said Rentschler.

A woman not familiar with roads in East Union Twp. was driving too fast and crashed on a roadside, he said, while similar crashes have happened in heavy downpours and after a rainstorm when water ran across roadways.

These crashes all involved seasoned drivers who have experience behind them, he said.

Rentschler handled fatal crashes, too, over the years, some of them involving impaired drivers or distracted drivers.

"You're taking someone away from someone because of drinking, smoking marijuana" or just being distracted, he said.

Part of Mothers Against Drunk Driving's mission is to prevent underage drinking, as teens who drink alcohol are more likely to become a drunk driver later in life. Each year, it designates late spring as a time for parents to talk to their teens about alcohol use with a program called Power of Parents. A downloadable parent handbook is available at madd.org/powerofparents. AAA also offers information on not driving distracted at AAA.com/DontDriveDistracted

Parents are the No. 1 influence on their children, MADD said.

Corrinne Arnosky, manager of MADD Pennsylvania's victim services in Bridgeport, said teenagers need to also remember to pay attention to the condition of the person they are in a car with, even if it's an adult.

"It's a 2,000-pound deadly weapon when you're driving like that," Arnosky said.

Contact the writer: achristman@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3584

Road rules

East Union Twp. police Chief Thomas "TJ" Rentschler said to make sure headlights and brake lights are working so other motorists can see you.

Rush Twp. police Chief Ken Zipovsky said always wear a seatbelt as it may not only be life-saving but also prevent injury if a person is jolted during a crash. He also said drivers need to pay close attention to the type of prescribed medication they are taking. There are medications that will render people incapable of driving safe, leaving them susceptible to crashes and a DUI charge.

Mike Taluto, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 4 safety press officer, said the agency speaks about safe driving throughout the year and offered the following rules of the road:

--Anyone under 18 must wear a seatbelt by state law. If a driver is under 18, they may not have more than one minor passenger who isn't immediate family in the vehicle unless an adult is in the car.

--Parents need to drive safely and ensure their children follow the law.

--Drive at a reasonable speed and slow down when needed.

--Don't get distracted and never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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