Street racing has become a dangerous pastime for teenagers across the country. Their need for speed is causing serious accidents and injuries to other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
The Dangers of Street Racing
Street racing among teenage drivers is a popular past time that’s causing serious accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Cities across the country are seeing a rise in various types of illegal street racing among teens, primarily young boys.
- Spontaneous Races – These races are not planned and most drivers don’t know each other. A race begins when one driver pulls up next to another and revs the car engine. Races can go on for several blocks at high speeds.
- Staged Races – In staged races, drivers meet before the race to determine racers, then take the race to the streets. The race can begin from a complete stop or a rolling start and quickly reach speeds up to 80 mph within one block.
- Closed Races – Closed races are held on open roads and highways or in industrial parks late at night or during early morning hours. Roads are closed off, while spectators keep an eye out for law enforcement.
- All-Out Races – These races often last for miles while several racers compete for large sums of money or vehicle pink slips. Since the stakes are high, all-out races reach high speeds and are extremely dangerous for anyone on the road.
To prevent street racing accidents often seen by a personal injury attorney in Las Vegas, harsh penalties are being imposed for drivers. Nevada imposes steep fines, a driver’s license suspension for up to two years, and possible jail time for six months.
Teenage Car Accidents
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens between the ages of 16 and 20. The risk of a crash is four times greater for teenagers than for adults. Teenage drivers are especially vulnerable to motor vehicle accidents because they often lack the ability to assess a dangerous situation, especially if alcohol or drugs are involved. A personal injury attorney in Las Vegas commonly sees serious car crashes that involve teenage drivers who were speeding while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to national accident statistics, 60 percent of all car-related teenage deaths involve alcohol. Teens have a low tolerance for alcohol and are inexperienced drivers. This combination creates a dangerous situation when teens get involved in street racing.
