Manhattan car accident attorneys know that teens are at a high risk for New York City car accidents because they often lack the knowledge and experience needed to make good driving decisions. This age group is also more apt to allow distractions to affect them or ignore rules of the road while driving, which can lead to dangerous situations on New York roadways.
The best thing that a parent can do for their young teen driver is to be involved in the learning-to-drive process. Being proactive from start to finish of the licensing process can create a lifetime of safe driving behaviors for your teen. The good news is there is an abundant amount of helpful information available right at your fingertips.
AAA has developed a customized state-specific online tool for parents and teens to use throughout the learning process. Keys2Drive: The AAA Guide to Teen Driver Safety provides a full display of information from what to do before your teen starts driving to supervising your teen while driving to when they finally begin driving solo.
Car crashes are the number one killer for teens, even more than homicides, suicides and cancer combined. For that reason, helping your teen to understand the risks of driving fast, getting distracted, or getting behind the wheel intoxicated becomes an important first step.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that from 1998-2007 more than 7,500 passengers 20 years old or younger died in a motor vehicle accident while riding with a young driver behind the wheel. The highest percentage of fatalities was in the 15-17 year-old age group reporting 4,777 deaths during that time period. Teens represent a small percentage of licensed drivers (7 percent) but are the age group with the highest percentage of fatal crashes (20 percent).
At age 16, teens can apply for a learner’s permit by going to a local driver’s exam office and providing parental consent, six points of identification, the teen’s Social Security card and passing a vision test. The teen also needs to have taken a driver education course or pass the written knowledge test.
After 6 months of driving with a learner’s permit and 50 hours of driving experience under their belt, teens can take a five-hour pre-licensing course as a precursor to taking the road test to obtain a junior’s driver license. Finally, at age 17, teens are entitled to an unrestricted license as long as they have a junior license and have completed a driver education course. Teens will receive their full license via mail once they turn 18 years old.
Teens can take a sample driving quiz before they take their written test. Click here to take the sample test.
Even though your child has branched out to driving on their own without supervision, AAA recommends that parents establish a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement which stipulates both New York law and family rules to be followed.
The agreement should be clear, concise and direct on what expectations need to be met and what the consequences are if broken. Parents and teens should agree on the stipulations and sign the contract.
If you or a teen driver in your family has been injured in a New York City car accident, contact car accident attorney Nicholas Rose, PLLC for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-877-313-ROSE (7673) today.
More Blog Entries:
NSC Focuses on Teen Drivers to Prevent Car Accidents in New York City and Elsewhere, : June 25, 2011
New York Drivers Rank in Bottom 5 – Do You Know How to Handle an Accident?, : June 20, 2011
Memorial Day Holiday Weekend Sees Spike in Car Accidents in New York and Elsewhere, : May 23, 2011