It only takes a fraction of a second for a driver to make a mistake and cause a serious accident. Our Springfield, Missouri car accident attorneys know that teenage drivers are an especially at-risk group: motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for American teens. In 2009, these accidents claimed the lives of 8 teenagers every single day. We frequently blog about various initiatives that promote responsible driving practices in young drivers, and we encourage parents to utilize these programs and the resources they provide. Doing so could make all the difference in the world.
(For links to teen driving resources, see the end of this post.)
Two Teen Drivers Killed in Separate Missouri Accidents Within 2 Days
Over the weekend, two teen drivers were killed in separate accidents in southern Missouri. The first accident happened on Friday in Howell County, near Mountain View. 16 year-old Christina McBride was traveling on County Road 3890 when she ran off the west side of the road. Her pickup truck overturned and struck a fence, ejecting one of her passengers. McBride was killed, and her passenger, 14 year-old Michael Richison, sustained serious injuries: he was taken to Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains, and subsequently transferred to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Another passenger, 17 year-old Lindy McBride, is also listed in serious condition at Mercy.
It's not clear what circumstances caused McBride to lose control of her vehicle and leave the roadway, but her pickup was the only vehicle involved in the accident. None of the three teens wore a seatbelt. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, this accident was Troop G's 7th fatality in 2012, compared to 4 fatalities at this time last year.
Then, on Saturday, another young driver died in Greene County, just north of Willard. The driver, 16 year-old Carlos Lopez, was driving on Missouri Highway 123 when his Pontiac Sunfire crossed the center line and struck a Dodge pickup head on. Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene, and his passenger, 44 year-old Darla Goetz, was transported to Mercy with serious injuries. The occupants of the pickup truck survived the accident, but both were hospitalized: the driver suffered minor injuries, and a passenger was moderately injured.