Mississippi tops the list of US states with the highest number of teenage deaths resulting from car crashes, surpassing Tennessee and Texas and only being outpaced by Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama, as the most recent official data shows. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Mississippi, with a population of 2.94 million in 2022, recorded 26.2 deaths per 100.000 people based on the 772 car crash deaths that year, translating to 1.89 fatalities per 100 million car miles traveled.
Regarding teenage-driving car accidents, Mississippi is assigned the most significant proportion compared to other states in the United States, with most casualties occurring during the summertime and a range of factors behind the worrisome numbers. But what causes these spikes in numbers, and what is left to do for the victims whose beloved ones are involved in these deadly crashes?
Mississippi ranks high in the top states with the most dangerous roads in the United States
Mississippi has some of the deadliest roads in the United States due to reasons like poor road infrastructure or rising traffic congestion. Flowood, Philadelphia, Greenville, and Greenwood keep ranking among the most dangerous cities in terms of traffic collisions. At the same time, Westover Drive in Hattiesburg and State Highway 98 are the intersections where the most vehicle accidents occur due to traffic jams and violent driving. Heavy traffic is the most impactful factor leading to many teen car crash fatalities, with other intersections like Airways Boulevard, State Highway 51 and State Highway 49 being just as hazardous. Jefferson D. Gilder, Personal Injury attorney and Partner at the law firm Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman, states, "It's no wonder that people are enraged, knowing that the numbers could be lower should efforts be made to prevent these disasters."
Concrete action must be taken to reduce the heart-wrenching number of teenagers losing their lives in traffic accidents in Mississippi. But until the situation is alleviated, keep in mind that if you or a loved one witness a similar heart-wrenching disaster, you have the Southaven Mississippi car accident lawyers to contact to help you get through the situation more quickly.
Smartphones are among the biggest culprits behind the worrying number of fatal teen car accidents
Increasingly more efforts are directed at spreading awareness concerning the disastrous and irreparable damages that having the attention stolen by smartphones or related digital devices can have on the person steering the wheel and the rest of the participants in the car. Mississippi makes no exception for states that treat smartphone distractions seriously. Whereas most situations implicating distracted driving are legal and don't come with repercussions, teenagers are reminded to keep these inattentive driving instances to a minimum to prevent the possible consequences.
Other distractions and behaviors also lead to teenage-fatal vehicle crashes in Mississippi
While smartphone distractions are at fault for most teenage driving fatalities, almost 6 out of 10 fatal accidents are primarily associated with distractions in general. While the official estimations from police reports point to a lower number, data reveals that the number is, in fact, higher. Among the main factors leading to irreparable suffering are conversations between car ride participants and smartphone distractions, but other factors also disturb teenagers' attention to the point where deadly car accidents occur, such as the following:
Taking hands off the wheel to perform other activities
Having the eye caught by outdoor advertisements
Adjusting climate or audio controls
Adjusting the seatbelt
Cigarette smoking
Eating or drinking.
Other common causes behind the alarming number of teenage fatal vehicle accidents include a tendency to drive aggressively, exposure to fatigued driving, human errors, and driving intoxicated or under the influence. These factors are all the more common during the summer, as adolescents tend to be more distraught.
Final words
Riding on the Mississippi roads necessitates precautionary measures and extra attention. Place safety before any other aspect and make sure you're not exposing yourself to any risks, should you transition the busiest roads and intersections in the state.
