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Long Island Teenager Dies in Head-on Collision in West Islip

One of life’s greatest tragedies is when a young person dies in a car accident. A promising future should lie ahead, yet in an instant, that future disappears.

News 12 Long Island reported that while driving north on Higbee Lane on July 7, 2015 just before 6:00 a.m., Julia Schweers’ Toyota Camry was hit by a truck when the driver attempted to make a left turn onto Union Avenue. Julia, 19 years old, died instantly at the scene. She was only about a half a mile from her home. She had just graduated from St. John the Baptist High School in 2014, and the community highly regards her father, who worked as a football coach at the school for seven years.
The truck driver stayed on site at the crash scene and no criminal charges were filed. Police are investigating the crash.

Statistics on teens dying in car crashes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that the risk of motor vehicle crashes among 16 to 19 year olds is higher than any other age group. In fact, the odds for individuals in this age group dying in a car crash are three times greater than for drivers who are age 20 and older. Teenage males are two times more at risk for fatalities than females. Teenagers who drive with other teen passengers are the most vulnerable to being involved in fatal crashes. In addition, the first few months after receiving a driver’s license is the time of highest risk for driving.

Why are teenage drivers so at risk?

  • These factors make teens more at risk than other drivers:
  • Failure to recognize hazardous situations
  • Tendency to speed
  • Greater risk of crashing than adults if driving while intoxicated
  • Low rates of seat belt use

If fatality or serious injury results from a car accident, and you believe the other driver was at fault, contact a lawyer. You may have recourse to a lawsuit for compensation.
At Palermo Law, an attorney can discuss the accident with you in a free consultation and evaluate whether you have a case. We take cases on a contingency fee basis.

About the Author


Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.

His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.