Four Teens Killed In Connecticut Car Accident
The Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, LLC are saddened to report an unlicensed 16-year-old driver and three of his friends were killed in a December car accident in Griswold, Connecticut.
A fifth teen is in critical condition. Authorities say the teen driver only had his learners permit.
The teens, ranging in age from 15 to a boy who would have been 17 today, December 9, 2010 were traveling in a 2007 Nissan Altima. The vehicle apparently hit a tree while trying to negotiate a corner on a narrow stretch of the road at around 4:30 in the afternoon.
Police are still trying to determine what caused the accident. They are investigating the drugs or alcohol angle, driver distraction, or an icy patch in the road. However, it may ultimately come down to driver inexperience.
The driver received his learners permit last August. In addition to this, the law in Connecticut states the only passengers allowed in the vehicle with someone who has their learners permit are a parent, legal guardian, or qualified trainer.
Once 16- and 17-year-olds have obtained their license, they must have a parent or legal guardian who holds a valid driver’s license, a driving instructor, or a person who is at least 20-years-old and has held their license for at least four years with no suspensions.
Any way we look at this, the accident is a tragedy for the whole community. Because the vehicle was registered to the mother of the girlfriend of the driver, there will be many questions about how they got the vehicle. There will be the usual self-recriminations and the ultimate “why” question, but it may simply come down to teens being teens. Sadly, these teens and their friends have learned the hard way that driving laws are there for a reason.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a car or truck accident you need information. Contact our Toledo, Ohio car accident lawyers at toll free 800.637.8170 to order your FREE copy of The Ohio Accident Book.
