A 190year-old boy was killed in a head-on car crash in Monterey County.

A teen driver was killed in a car accident Sunday night on Reservation Road in Marina, about 12 miles north of Monterey. The other teen driver was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries.

•   A teen driver in a Honda Accord was speeding on a divided road when he lost control of his vehicle and skidded into the oncoming traffic lane.

•  The Accord hit the driver’s side of a Subaru Impreza, knocking into the air. The Subaru flipped over and landed on its roof.

•   The driver of the Subaru, also a teen, died at the scene.

•   The Accord driver was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries. The CHP had not yet decided whether it would recommend criminal charges.

The fatal accident occurred at about 7:20 p.m., according to a report in the Monterey Herald.

California Highway Patrol spokesman Robert Lehman said 18-year-old Monterey resident Jared Holehouse was driving a silver 2003 Honda Accord eastbound on Reservation Road at the time of the crash.

Holehouse was traveling at high speed when he lost control of his car. It skidded over a raised median that divides the heavily traveled road where it intersects with West Blanco Road, according to a KSBW Channel 8 News report.

The Honda slammed into the driver’s side door of a black 2006 Subaru Impreza that was traveling westbound on Reservation Road. The impact launched the Subaru into the air. It rolled over and landed on its roof. The driver, 19-year-old Alexander Ratliff of Salinas, died at the scene.

Holehouse sustained moderate injuries and was airlifted via helicopter to San Jose Regional Medical Center for treatment, Lehman said. The exact nature and severity of his injuries was not released.

There were no passengers in either car.

Lehman said drugs and alcohol were not involved in the accident. He said investigators believe it was Holehouse’s excessive driving speed that led to the crash.

As of Monday afternoon, the CHP had not yet decided whether it would suggest that criminal charges be filed against Holehouse, according to a report in the Salinas Californian.

Car Accidents Deadly for Teens

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Drivers aged 16 to 19 years old have the highest average annual crash and traffic violation rates of any age group. California is second only to Texas in the number of teen deaths in traffic accidents.

Why are teen drivers at so much risk? According to the DMV, these are the greatest factors:

• Poor hazard detection – Teens are still inexperienced as drivers so they haven’t fully developed the ability to assess potential hazards.
• Low risk perception – Teen drivers tend to underestimate risk and overestimate their driving ability.
• Risk taking - Teens tend to engage in risky behaviors such as speeding, tailgating, running red lights, violating traffic signs and signals, making illegal turns, passing dangerously, and failure to yield to pedestrians.
• Not wearing seat belts - Teens are less likely than older drivers to wear seat belts.
• Lack of skill - Despite their overconfidence, teens are still inexperienced drivers.
• Alcohol and drugs - Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is a common cause of fatal crashes involving teen drivers.
• Night driving - The per-mile crash rate for teen drivers is three times higher after 9 p.m.

Monterey Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.