A group at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia called the Center for Injury Research and Prevention conducted a study indicating that young drivers and older drivers tend to own older vehicles. When you spot an older vehicle during your commute in Indiana, according to this study, it’s likely that a teen or an elderly driver is behind the wheel.
Crash risk among teens and the elderly
For their data, researchers went to the NJ-SHO Data Warehouse and analyzed crash data in New Jersey spanning the years 2010 to 2017. Finding out the VIN of each car involved in each crash, they then determined the vehicle year and whether the vehicle had features like electronic stability control or front, side and curtain airbags.
The benefits of airbags need no introduction. As for electronic stability control, this feature keeps vehicles steady on sharp curves and wet roads. These features are especially important for teens and drivers age 65 and older since these two age groups run the highest crash risk.
Older vehicles are simply less safe
It is unfortunate, then, that the two age groups at the highest risk of crashing usually go for older vehicles with no electronic stability control or side airbags. The study found that drivers from lower-income neighborhoods gravitate more to older vehicles. Still, researchers emphasize that safer vehicles can be purchased for relatively little.
Legal representation for your injury case
Perhaps you survived an accident but incurred serious injuries because your vehicle was not the most up to date in terms of safety. This likely won’t affect how much you can receive in damages since driving an older car is not an act of negligence. Before pursuing your personal injury case, though, you may want a lawyer to assist you. With legal representation, you might be able to achieve a fair settlement out of court.