Teen Dies in Tragic Car Accident
An 18-year-old girl died in a car accident recently when another car driven by a teenager crashed into her vehicle. Brittany Baxter, from Acreage, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident around 2:30 p.m. at Tangerine Boulevard and 120th Avenue North by the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
According to the police, Ms. Baxter was driving a 1998 Dodge sedan westbound on Tangerine Boulevard when a 2007 Mercedes traveling northbound on 120th Avenue failed to stop at the intersection. The Mercedes was driven by Tristyn Dino, 17, and was carrying Jena Azarowicz, 16, as a passenger. The Mercedes, driven by Mr. Dino, slammed into Ms. Baxter’s driver’s side and sent both cars spinning into the intersection.
Mr. Dino and Ms. Azarowicz were rushed to the hospital and treated for minor injuries after the accident. Ms. Baxter was pronounced dead at the scene. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing seatbelts, and there does not appear to be any indication of drugs or alcohol involved. So far, the police have denied commenting on whether charges will be filed against Mr. Dino for his role in Ms. Baxter’s death.
Teenage Driving Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the chances of being involved in a fatal accident are nearly three times more likely for a teenage driver between the ages of 16 and 19 than it is for drivers over the age of 20 years old. The drivers with the highest risk of being involved in a fatal accident are drivers that are 16 and 17 years old. In 2013, a total of 2,524 teenagers died in car accidents across the United States and comprised nine percent of all traffic-related deaths in the country.
In 2011, Florida saw 28,176 car accidents involving teenage drivers out of the 227,998 total accidents across the states. A total of 2,214 accidents involved fatalities and 2,400 people died. Of those accidents, 91 teen drivers were killed and another 63 teenage passengers died. Florida also had 181,654 people injured in car accidents that year, and it included 8,842 teenage drivers getting seriously injured in addition to 6,968 teen passengers with similar injuries.
Compensation for Car Accidents
Sadly, damages resulting from car crashes can be severe. You deserve to be fully compensated for all of the damages that results from an accident. Compensation for car accident injuries and deaths can include the following:
- Present and future medical bills;
- Lost wages;
- Impaired earning ability;
- Disability;
- Pain and suffering;
- Scarring and disfigurement;
- Property damage;
- Wrongful death;
- Funeral costs;
…and other damages that are reasonably related to the car accident.
Contact a Florida Attorney Now
If you have been involved in a car accident in West Palm Beach, reach out to the attorneys at Gary Roberts & Associates. Contact us today to discuss your case.
