Personal Injury Law

Two Middleborough Teens Killed in Massachusetts Car Accident

By Altman & Altman

Two Massachusetts teenagers died in Middleborough on Thursday after the 18-year-old driver lost control of his car and struck a tree. Driver Joseph W. DeYoung and his 17-year-old passenger, Brian McMahon, died from their injuries. DeYoung had just earned his driver?s license on December 2.

Middleborough police says wet roads, driver inexperience, and speeding contributed to the fatal Massachusetts car crash, which occurred early in the morning on Purchase Street as the teens were headed to school. An initial investigation into the crash indicates that DeYoung lost control of the car. The two Middleborough high school teens were pronounced dead at the accident site.

NHTSA Young Driver Facts
- In 2006, there were 13 million young, licensed drivers, 15 ? 20 years-of age, in the United States.
- In 2007, 6,982 young drivers were involved in deadly motor vehicle crashes.
- Motor vehicle accidents is the number one killer of people, ages 15 - 20.
- 3,174 drivers, ages 15-20, died in auto crashes last year.
- 252,000 were injured.
- 1,631,000 young drivers were involved in the 10,524,000 auto crash incidents that were reported to police.
31% of young drivers that died in traffic accidents last year had consumed alcohol.
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In Massachusetts:
- 83 people died in Massachusetts motor vehicle crashes involving young drivers last year.
- 36 of the victims were young drivers operating one of the vehicles.
- 28 of the fatalities were occupants of vehicles driven by young drivers.
- 16 of the people that died were riding in other vehicles.
- 3 of the victims who died were not riding in any vehicles.

On their way to school, two teens die in crash, Boston.com, December 12, 2008

Young Drivers, 2007 Traffic Safety Facts, NHTSA

Related Web Resources:

A Comprehensive Approach to Teen Driver Safety

Statistics About Teen Drivers, Mass.gov

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on December 12, 2008 (boomark / email).