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Teen Drivers at High Risk for Car AccidentsAcross the nation, lawmakers are imposing a variety of restrictions on teen drivers in the hopes of stemming high crash rates. Teens are at a higher risk for car accidents, which is due to not only inexperience, but also distractions like passengers and cell phones. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a car accident, call a California car accident attorney from the McClellan Law Firm at 619.677.1641. Across the nation, lawmakers are imposing a variety of restrictions on teen drivers in the hopes of stemming high crash rates. From limiting the hours when teens can be behind the wheel to limiting the number of passengers a young driver may transport, teens are facing a dizzying array of protections courtesy of state legislatures across the country. In California, for example, drivers under the age of 18 are required to have a provisional driver license for 12 months before they can obtain an unrestricted license. With a provisional license, unless accompanied by an adult, a teenager cannot drive any passengers under the age of 20 or drive between the hours of 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Graduated Licensing, Delayed Licensing, Passenger Bans Save Lives These restrictions are warranted; teens are more likely to have accidents, but limiting driving privileges helps to curb these accidents. Teens are four times as likely to crash as drivers over 20, according to U.S. News. This is likely due to their relative inexperience at driving coupled with the natural tendency of teens to feel invulnerable to risk. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) documented a seven percent reduction in fatal crash rates by delaying the minimum licensing age from 16 to 16 and a half. IIHS also found that bans on teen driving after 9 p.m. reduce fatal crashes by 18 percent. Passenger bans reduce the death toll by 21 percent. Driving and Cell Phones a Fatal Mix Distracted driving is a national epidemic with an intensified effect on teen drivers. Teen drivers are more prone to cell phone use and particularly texting, which too often proves deadly when combined with driving. According to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, distracted driving results in 2,600 deaths, 333,000 injuries and 1.5 million property damage claims each year. A study by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in 2006 pointed to cell phones as the most common driver distraction. When a driver uses a cell phone to send a text message, the risk of crashing increases significantly. It's no wonder, then, that states have acted to take cell phones out of the hands of inexperienced drivers. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia ban all cell phone use by novice drivers, and another nine ban texting for novice drivers. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have enacted texting bans across the board. Ultimately, nothing will completely
eliminate the disparity between accident rates among teen drivers and more
experienced drivers. Driving can be dangerous, and part of the danger comes
from a lack of experience — but everyone has to start as an inexperienced
driver at some point. However, through appropriate restrictions Article Tags: Teen Drivers, Cell Phones, Cell Phone Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORAt The McClellan Law Firm in San Diego, we are trial lawyers first and foremost. Although complex personal injury litigation continues to form the foundation for our firm's success, we also represent businesses in corporate and commercial disputes, homeowners in real estate and construction defects litigation, and employees in cases of discrimination, sexual harassment, and employer retaliation. Contact us for a free consultation about your civil litigation claim at 619.677.1641
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