While Buss Law specializes in car accidents, personal injury, and speeding and traffic tickets, the greater number of cases involve car accidents and personal injury. The majority of individuals in all of these topics are teenagers aged 16-19. Teens lack experience and are less risk-adverse when driving. In 2017, “2,364 teens in the United Stated aged 16-19 were killed, and about 300,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes”; this translates into six teens dying daily due to car crashes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Teen Drivers: Get the Facts, October 30, 2019.) Interestingly enough, the frontal areas of the brain develop last at age 25; the frontal areas are in charge of “executive functions, like planning, inhibition, reasoning, and problem solving” (Forbes, Are Teenager’s Brains Fully Developed? Not When IT Comes To Executive Functions, Says Science, August 31,2017). Either there needs to be a solution provided to make the frontal lobes develop sooner, or, as harsh as it sounds, maybe U.S. citizens should not be allowed to drive until the age of 25, when the frontal lobes have developed. Safety should be of primary concern. That moment a teen disregards a law, as though not wearing a seatbelt or drinking and driving, can be that last opportunity that teenager receives to drive. A second chance is a blessing, not mandatory. The objective when driving should not be to merely survive; it should be to prevent the risk of endangering others.

 

In 2018, data gathered from September 24 to October 24 of individuals aged 18-64 in the United States showed that 4.88% of those aged 18-29, 5.51% of those aged 30-49, and .95% of those aged 50-64, used a personal injury attorney (Kunst, Share of Americans who used a personal injury attorney service in the last 12 months in 2018, by age, June 20, 2019). Because the frontal lobes do not develop until the age of 25, one would expect the percentage of 18-29 year olds using the services of an attorney to be higher than those aged 30-29 because 18-29 year olds incur an higher risk. The reason for the lower percentage amongst 18-29 year olds could be because they feel as though the services of a lawyer are not necessary, however, it is also plausible that the appropriate finances are not available during the time of the accident, as in “a recent national financial literacy survey, 18-34 year olds did worse than any other age group”; they also have a record of “being late with mortgage payments and overdrawing checking accounts” (Forbes, Millennial Money: Financial inspiration and insight for a generation, November 30, 2019). If young adults do not have financial literacy skills, they are not able to make knowledgeable and effective money decisions to take the proper precautions for personal injury and car accidents. Personal injury lawyers are able to ensure that the client attains a fair settlement and that the insurance company does not take advantage of the party involved. Although other fees may accrue, most personal injury lawyers do not charge attorney fees if you do not win your case. What we have provided are statistics and information; but use this information to educate and, therefore, make better decisions concerning your life and the lives of others.

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Teen Drivers: Get the Facts, October 30, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html   

 

Forbes, Millennial Money: Financial inspiration and insight for a generation, November 30, 2019, https://www.forbes.com/feature/millennial-money/#624e9b514799

 

Kunst, Alexander, Share of Americans who used a personal injury attorney service in the last 12 months in 2018, by age, June 20, 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/228119/people-in-households-with-a-personal-injury-attorney-service-usa/

 

Van den Berg, Fabian, Are Teenagers’ Brains Fully Developed? Not When It Comes tTo Executive Functions Science Says, August 31, 2017 https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/08/31/are-teenagers-brains-fully-developed-not-when-it-comes-to-executive-functions-says-science/#5b073d864a8f