All too frequently, Georgia drivers suffer a car accident, even when they haven’t actually done anything risky in the first place. But sometimes, especially for young people who have just received their licenses, the drivers may choose to try out risky moves while driving. Unfortunately, these risky moves often put them and others in danger and can lead to a serious car accident which may even result in personal injury or death.
Just ask several Georgia teenagers about car accidents and risky behavior. On Friday April 27, as many as eight teenagers reportedly skipped school and ended up car surfing, which is a recent trend where young passengers hang outside the car as it moves to perform stunts. While a few teenagers were hanging off a car, the car somehow flipped, trapping a 16-year-old underneath.
After the teenager was freed from the car, he was taken to a medical center and placed in a medically induced coma. Fortunately, doctors expect that the worst is over and that he will recover, although he was expected to remain in a coma for several weeks. The driver of the vehicle has since been charged with hit-and-run.
Though it is never wise to indulge in risky situations for fun, the fact that the car flipped may indicate that the driver had been going at an unsafe speed or was otherwise been negligent while driving. Indeed, many would argue that simply operating a motor vehicle while others are car surfing is negligent, though other legal principles may be applicable as well. If the investigation shows that the driver was negligent in a manner that caused the accident, the victim of the car accident may have the legal basis to pursue a claim for personal injuries. Though engaging in car surfing may also be considered negligent, a full investigation combined with a review of all the relevant facts and circumstances may be necessary in order to assess the relative rights and responsibilities of the parties to the car accident under Georgia law.
Source: WTVM, “Ga. teen in coma after car-surfing accident,” April 28, 2012