State Police say a preliminary investigation indicates speed may have been a factor in Amy Caracofe's accident.

Amy Carecofe lost control of her vehicle on Dam Town Road Thursday. A make-shift memorial now stands where she crashed.

State Police 1st Sgt. Scott Van Lear says the number of teenage drivers involved in accidents rises each year.

He says, "The number of drivers compared to the number of crashes and number of fatalities nationwide is astronomical compared to the older generation."

So state police try to educate teens about the dangers of speeding but often, the message falls on deaf ears.

Van Lear adds, "I think what we see is a mind set of a teenager that they are invincible and therefore, they tend to drive a little faster."

Van Lear says sometimes it takes tragedies like a fatal accident to remind people to be careful while out on the road.

He says, "As we get older and we gain driving experience and we start losing our friends, we start realizing that this driving isn't a game. That it's serious business and I think it slows us down a little bit."