A pair of tennis shoes hangs over a cross at the site of a car accident that claimed a Fort Mills, North Carolina (NC) teenager’s life.
Seventeen year old Luke Hoover was a student at Nation Ford High School, an athlete, and a Boy Scout who volunteered at local churches. He is also the second Nation Ford High School student to die in a car accident this week.
Luke Hoover was driving to his friend’s house on Holbrook Road in Fort Mills, North Carolina (NC) when he attempted to pass another car. Hoover lost control of his car, went off the roadway and hit a tree. He died at the scene of the accident.
Students at Nation Ford High School were devastated by the news of the accident; especially after losing another student and friend only days before. Michelle DiBernardini, 16, was traveling with three other teenagers when her car collided with a truck. Michelle DiBernardini died as a result of her injuries and the three passengers were taken to local hospitals.
The sudden loss of Luke Hoover and Michelle DiBernardini shows how dangerous the roads can be for young drivers. The auto insurance company, Allstate, recently released a study showing that car accidents are the leading cause of teen death in the United States. Car accidents have claimed the life of 5,000-6,000 teenagers annually for the past decade. Allstate reported that speed and driving errors, which are far more likely to happen during a driver’s first few years on the road, are the highest cause of teen car accidents.
If you have a young driver on the road, teaching them to maintain the speed limit as well as how to react in potentially dangerous situations will go a long way in preventing an accident. Remember that practice makes perfect and by spending as much time driving with your teen as you can will help them be better drivers on their own.
About the Editors: Shapiro & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law. Our law firm has offices in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC) and Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys handle automobile negligence cases involving cars, trucks, trains, and motorcycles every day. We will send you one of our FREE reports about car accident cases, including our special report on distracted driving or our Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in North Carolina. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, VA, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at (833) 997-1774. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . In addition, our lawyers proudly edit the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard, as well as the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.
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