There are five components of an effective Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program that can help reduce the risks of teen car accidents in Manhattan and elsewhere, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
If all states were to have these five components, then about 500 lives would be saved and nearly 10,000 auto accidents could be prevented each year.
So what are these five components? Officials say that a good GDL program should have the following; teen passenger restrictions, nighttime driving restrictions, a specific permit age, a specific license age and a specific number of practice and supervised driving hours.
So how does New York have any of these components? Well, we did alright with the permit age as drivers in our state can’t apply for a learner’s permit until they’re 16-years-old. However, our state requires young drivers complete 50 hours of supervised driving, while the IIHS recommends that young drivers complete 65 supervised driving hours.
As for nighttime and passenger restrictions, we’re okay. Our state doesn’t allow these young drivers to drive between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. with an intermediate license and they’re also prohibited from having more than 1 passenger with them who is under the age of 21-years-old.
Experienced injury attorneys understand that New York State may not be among the states with the strictest GDL laws and for that reason we’re calling on help from parents and guardians. Parents have the ability to enact their own driving laws in their own households. We’re asking parents to lay down the law and help to ensure our teen driver’s safety. Consider getting ideas from a sample parent-teen driving contract. That will help you to get started.
Parent-Teen Driving Agreement:
-Enact a driving curfew. Make sure you teen isn’t out on our roadways too late. Teen’s risks for car accidents increase as the sun sets.
-Make sure there’s a common understanding as to what your teen is responsible for when it comes to car maintenance, including gas, oil changes, tire upkeep and insurance costs.
Enact your own household laws:
-No speeding.
-Never drink and drive.
-Keep the passengers to a minimum.
-Never use electronic devices while in the driver’s seat.
-Keep in communication about where your teen is going and when they’ll be home.
-Buckle up during every trip in the car.
Enacting your own household driving agreement will help to supplement the state’s laws and will help to keep your teen driver safe on our roadways. Make sure that you and your teen come to a clear agreement as to what the consequences are for breaking any of these rules. Parent and guardian enforcement may be the key in keeping our young drivers safe on the road!
The Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC is here to help fight for the rights and the deserved compensation of those who have been the victims of car accidents on Long Island and elsewhere throughout the state of New York. Call 1-877-313-7673 to schedule your free consultation from an experienced car accident attorney.
More Blog Entries:
Distraction-Related Car Accidents in New York City – Teen at High Risks, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, March 25, 2012
Car Accidents in Long Island, Nation, Proving More Fatal for Teens, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, February 25, 2012
