Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Get ready for National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW). Taking place on from October 20th through the 26th, officials will be using this time to help raise awareness about teenage drivers and their risks for accidents.
According to Teen Driver Source, this year’s theme is ‘It Takes Two: Shared Expectations for Teens and Parents for Driving.’ It’s never too late to develop safe driving skills. However, parents and teens should work on developing these skills as early on as possible.
Our Boston car accident lawyers understand that there were close to 50 people killed in accidents that involved a teen driver in the state of Massachusetts in 2011. Many of these accidents and fatalities could have been prevented if teens were the focus of better driving education, including input from friends, family members and officials. Step up the efforts today and help to save a life tomorrow.
Under the state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program, teenagers have rules and regulations to follow until they earn their unrestricted driver’s license. Under these rules:
-Teen drivers are required to complete a three-stage driving system. This system starts when the turn 16 with a learner’s permit, at 16 and a half with an intermediate stage and full license exposure at 18.
-During the learner’s permit stage, young drivers are required to hold this license for a minimum of 6 months. During this time, they’re required to complete 40 hours of supervised driving time. They are also prohibited from driving between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. There is also a passenger restriction prohibiting passengers younger than age 18 for the first 6 months after licensure (secondary enforcement at some times of day).
-Drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to use cell phones of any kind behind the wheel.
The traffic accident rates for 16- to 19-year-old drivers are higher than those for any other age group. What causes teenage drivers to be such risky drivers?
-Poor Hazard Detection
-Low-Risk Perception
-Not Wearing Seat Belts
-Lack of Driving Skill
-Alcohol and Drugs
-Passengers
-Nighttime Driving
In addition to the state’s GDL program, you should enact your very own household driving laws. Enforce these laws, and their consequences, to help save lives on our roadways.
Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14 percent of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30 percent ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor-vehicle injuries among females.
To save some money and to save some lives, parents and guardians should speak with the young drivers in their family today. Talk with them about ways to be a safer driver. Hop in the car with them and get a first-hand look at their driving techniques. Your input can make a different. Believe it or not, but you are the most influential person in their lives, and this goes for driving skills too.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in the Boston area, contact Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Car Accidents and Adverse Birth Issues for Pregnant Women, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, October 10, 2013
New Vehicle Safety Features Stop Accidents Before They Happen, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, October 8, 2013