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Turning 16 and getting a driver’s license is a right of passage. Freedom and the open road call out to our children. Know the statistics about teenage drivers and ways to keep your young driver safe.
Provisional Driver’s License (Class D)
The state of Georgia implements restrictions for provisional driver’s licenses (the standard license issued to drivers under the age of 18). Young drivers are prohibited from driving between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m.
To avoid potential distractions, new drivers are restricted to only having family members in the vehicle for the first 6 months. After driving for 6 months, only one non-family member under the age of 21 can be in the vehicle as a passenger. Even after one year of driving experience, provisional teenage drivers are limited to having 3 passengers in the vehicle.
Teens and Distracted Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation, tallied up startling statistics to emphasize the importance of limiting distractions for teenage drivers.
- 7% of the people who died in distraction-affected crashes in 2017 were teens 15 to 19 years old.
- 9% of all teen motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2017 involved distracted driving.
- 9% of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2017 were teens 15 to 19 years old.
- 8% of teen (15 to 19) drivers who were involved in fatal crashes in 2017 were distracted at the time of the crashes.
- 8% of people killed in crashes involving a teen (15 to 19) in 2017 died when teen drivers were distracted.
- 52% of people killed in teen (15 to 19) distraction-affected crashes in 2017 were teens 15 to 19 years old.
Model Positive Behavior
Even before your child gets behind the wheel, you can teach safe driving practices. Model the driving behavior you wish your teenage driver to exhibit.
A study by Liberty Mutual and SADD found that 83% of teens experience unsafe driving by their parents. While only 21% of surveyed parents admit to driving without a seatbelt, 41% of teens state they have witnessed the safety hazard. Our kids are constantly watching us. Do the right thing.
Follow these tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set a positive driving example:
- Don’t speed. Kids will do what you do, not what you say.
- Buckle up. Teenage drivers are more likely to always wear a seatbelt if the behavior was modeled by their parents. Model the way now and confirm that all passengers, including yourself, are buckled before driving.
- Keep your eyes on the road. And hands on the steering wheel. Don’t text and drive, especially in front of impressionable children.
Injury Accident Attorney Representation
Injuries related to car accidents can immediately change your life.
Recovering from serious injuries can have a major impact beyond the issue of physically recovering. The Law Offices of Matthew C. Hines are a legal defense team that fight aggressively to get you, the victim, compensation resulted from serious or catastrophic injuries.
If your teenage driver was ticketed after causing serious injury in a vehicular accident, schedule a free consultation with Hines Law. Serious accidents can alter life for both involved parties. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Matthew C. Hines are always ready to assist.
