A 16-year-old girl who was learning to drive with her mother sustained serious injuries and had to be extricated from her vehicle after a two-car accident Tuesday morning in Niles.

The juvenile driver, whose name is not being released, was from Grand Rapids. She was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries, according to Lt. Steve Campbell, of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department.

The accident occurred at 11:58 a.m. on eastbound US-12 at the US-31 exit ramp, near JD’s Truck Stop.

According to an accident report, the juvenile driver exited US-31 onto east US-12 and into the path of a Jeep driven by Robert Lockamy, of Buchanan.

Lockamy had the right of way, according to Campbell.

Lockamy’s vehicle struck the 2004 Volkswagon in the driver’s side door, causing the juvenile driver to be pinned inside.

“He (Lockamy) saw it and locked his breaks, but there wasn’t enough time to do anything else,” Campbell said.

The Volkswagon spun around and came to a rest off the road and facing west.

Campbell said two good Samaritans with nursing backgrounds stopped and stayed with the injured people until emergency personnel arrived.

“I think that was remarkable,” Campbell said.

The juvenile driver’s mother, Julia Lear, of Three Oaks, was a passenger in the Volkswagon. She was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Campbell said the juvenile driver had recently received her graduated level 1 license, which allowed her to operate a vehicle with her parents.

The Bertrand Township Fire Department used its jaws of life to extricate the juvenile from the vehicle.

Lockamy, who sustained minor injuries, was treated at a local hospital and released hours later.

The Michigan State Police Niles Post, Niles Township Fire Department, Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service and Three Oaks Ambulance assisted at the scene.