Teen Accident Lawyer Houston Texas

Teen Accident Lawyer Houston Texas

If you’ve been injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident caused by a teen driver or your teen driver has been involved in an accident, it’s important to connect with an experienced teen accident lawyer Houston, Texas residents trust and to make that connection as soon as you can. The team at John K. Zaid & Associates can begin working to gather evidence, protect the rights of those involved, and advocate on behalf of your family’s interests as soon as we’re alerted to your situation. Accidents involving teen drivers can be uniquely emotional scenarios. Know that you’re not alone and that we can help.

While many teen drivers are safe and responsible, there are plenty of others who make poor decisions behind the wheel, endangering themselves and others on the road. Statistics clearly show that teen drivers are more likely to be involved in injurious or fatal crashes than any other age group. And while few people would personally fault a teen driver for inexperience, the fact remains that car accident victims need and deserve compensation for their injuries – regardless of the at-fault driver’s age or time behind the wheel. This is one of the many reasons why it’s important to connect with a car accident lawyer Houston, TX resident’s trust, regardless of the circumstances surrounding your crash. If you or your teen driver have been injured in an accident, you need to explore your legal options as soon as you can to better ensure that you’ll receive the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to. 

Teens Who Violate GDL Restrictions

Because teen drivers are new and unskilled, they are not allowed the full driving privileges that experienced adult drivers have. Texas uses a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program that places limits on teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 18. During the provisional license phase, teen drivers are prohibited from:

•         Driving with more than one passenger under age 21 except for family members
•         Driving between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m., with exceptions for work, school activities and medical emergencies
•         Operating a wireless communication device (such as a cellphone), with exceptions for emergency calls only

If you are involved in an accident with a teen driver who was violating the terms of their provisional license, this information could bolster your claim that the other party was at fault for the crash.

Distracted Driving Accidents

Texas has banned texting while driving, and approximately 60 cities across the state have enacted bans on the use of handheld cellphones while driving. Even in cases where using a smartphone is legal, drivers can still be held liable if their use of the device causes distraction that leads to a serious accident.

While it may seem like an unfair stereotype, statistics show that teenagers are more likely than other age groups to text and engage in other distracting behaviors behind the wheel. If you were struck by a distracted teen driver, you have the right to pursue compensation. With that said, if your teen was injured while driving distracted, they aren’t necessarily more than half at-fault for the accident and may still be entitled to compensation for their injuries.

Who is Liable When a Minor Causes a Car Accident?

Teen drivers under the age of 18 are most often driving a vehicle owned and insured by their parents. As such, their parents have control over when and how the teen can use the car. If the teen driver causes an accident while still in the legal custody of their parents, it is likely that the parents can be held legally liable for accidents and injuries that occur. Because parents and teens are almost always on the same auto insurance policy, liability more accurately rests with the insurer and not necessarily the parent or child.

Contact us to Learn More

To take advantage of a free initial consultation, contact our office today. Our Houston, Texas teen accident lawyer team is proud to help accident victims of all ages get the justice they deserve; we look forward to speaking with you.