As we recently reported on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is pulling out all the stops in an attempt to reduce the risks of car accidents for teens. Recently, MassDOT created a new guide for parents to help teach our young drivers. This guide includes tips to help parents to offer the best advice for teens who are currently in the process of collecting their 40 hours of supervised driving time.
According to FOX6, car accidents continue to be the No. 1 killer of teens in the country. The Governors Highway Safety Association says that fatalities among 16- and 17-year-olds was up more than 10 percent during the first six months of 2011 compared to the same part of the year in 2010.
Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that Massachusetts was one of the states that didn’t see an increase during this time, which means we may be doing something right. According to a recent study from the American Academy of Pediatrics, a large number of teenagers nationwide are behind the wheel with absolutely no formal driver’s education under their belt. That’s another trend officials here in Massachusetts are fighting. According to the Register of Motor Vehicles, more teens applied for and received a Driver’s Education Certificate in 2011 compared to the number awarded in 2010.
“Their attitude is they are a bit more humble. I need to do this right, I need to take the lessons and they know that there are a lot of things for the road test,” said Paul Santos of Untied Driving School in Springfield.
Teens are also warned that receiving traffic violations when holding a Junior License can have some severe penalties. If they get a ticket for speeding during this time, they are going to have their license revoked for 90 days. They’re also going to have to dish out more than $500 to get the license back. These young drivers should know this, which is why many officials believe the risks for accidents among this age group aren’t increasing.
Nationwide statistics reveal that new drivers are nearly five times more likely to get into a car accident and almost 15 times more likely to be injured in these accidents than any other age group of drivers.
The main causes of teen car accidents:
-Speed.
-Inexperience.
-Failure to buckle up.
-Alcohol.
-Distractions.
-Sleepiness.
Officials in the state try to stop these problems before they arise by limiting the number of passengers a teen can drive with, increasing supervised driving requirements and limiting the times of day they can be behind the wheel. Still, you can’t rely on law enforcement to parent your child all the time. To keep up the good stats in the state, we’re asking parents to continue to stay on top on their teen’s driving progress.
If you or your newly-licensed driver has been injured or killed in a car accident in Massachusetts, contact Boston Injury Lawyer Jeffrey S. Glassman. Our firm offers free and confidential appointments to discuss your rights. Call 877-617-5333.
Additional Resources:
Teen Driving In Massachusetts, by Mike LaCrosse, FOX6
More Blog Entries:
MassDot Helps Parents Prevent Fatal Teen Car Accidents in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyer Blog, February 13, 2012
Massachusetts Traffic Crash Data Now Easier to Analyze, Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyer Blog, January 18, 2012