Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of adolescents worldwide says Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear.
The world’s young adults are dying by the thousands each day, many of them from preventable accidents. America’s youth are spared many risks that others face, but vehicle accidents are common and the biggest threat worldwide says Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear. Globally about one in six people are adolescents.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1.2 million adolescents die each year or about 3,000 deaths each day. In a report the organization states the causes are largely preventable, reports CNN. The leading cause of death for 10 to 19 year olds in 2015 was “road injury,” which killed more than 115,000 adolescents, followed by lower respiratory infections and self-harm. About two-thirds of deaths among adolescents happened in Southeast Asia and Africa.
Road injuries are listed as the greatest cause of death globally and the rate is especially high for boys 15 to 19 years old. Overall most of them aren’t driving vehicles, they’re more likely to be pedestrians and cyclists, though more drive vehicles in wealthier countries. The second leading cause of death for young males was interpersonal violence including physical or sexual abuse or emotional threats.
Dr. Sonia Saxena, a primary care expert at Imperial College London quoted by CNN, stated that prior studies have shown the leading causes of adolescents’ deaths in developed countries are risky behaviors, including drug and alcohol abuse, not their environment. “These factors for adolescents are around their whole environment,” she said. “It should not be dangerous to walk down the road.”
Most of the deaths of girls 10 to 14 are due to lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, which could be caused by the use of polluting fuels to cook in their homes. Older girls 15 to 19 face greater risk of death due to pregnancy complications, childbirth or unsafe abortions.
Road injuries are the leading cause of death of adolescents of both sexes in developed countries and low and middle income countries of Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. Self-harm is the leading adolescent cause of death in Europe, war in the Eastern Mediterranean, violence and abuse in the Americas and lower respiratory infections in Africa.
The report recommends a range of strategies to try to prevent the deaths of adolescents, including more comprehensive sex education, cleaner cooking fuels, mandatory seatbelt and helmet use and increased drinking age limits.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It estimates that in 2015 2,333 residents aged 16 to 19 were killed and 221,313 were treated in emergency departments for injuries from vehicle crashes the prior year. Every day, on average, six teens aged 16 to 19 died due to motor vehicle injuries.
When we first learn to drive it can be a very dangerous time. Teens need to be taught how to drive responsibly and share the road with others. No matter what adults may tell them, we teach our kids how to drive by the example we set. How good an example are you?
If an adolescent member of your family has been injured or killed in a vehicle accident, don’t wait to speak to a personal injury lawyer about the case. Protect his or her rights by contacting us or by calling New Jersey and Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear now at 877-GET-RAND.
Call or text (215) 985-2424 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form