Weather is suspected as a contributing factor in a fatal north suburban car accident that happened last night. Authorities say that a 16-year-old boy lost control of his car in Antioch around 7 p.m. The boy’s car slammed into a tree on the 27000 block of Wilmot Road.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the force of the crash uprooted the tree and that it partially landed on the car. The 16-year-old driver and his 17-year-old female passenger were both pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say that they are still notifying the families of the teens and that the investigation into the crash is still underway.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for Chicagoland teens. Teenage boys are more likely to be involved in crashes than girls, and the driving experience of a teen is a major factor in whether a serious accident will occur.
Teens are generally most likely to crash at night and during inclement weather. Some studies have shown that the likelihood of a fatal teen accident increases when other teens are present in the car and decreases when an adult is a passenger.
Crashes like this one are also why all states have some form of graduated driver’s licensing laws. These laws prevent a teen from driving in dangerous situations until they become more experienced. Common restrictions in graduated driver’s licensing laws include prohibiting nighttime driving or driving with too many passengers.