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Teen Driver Bill Would Reduce Accidents

A new bill that seeks to set a national standard for teens seeking a driver’s license would go a long way in minimizing the number of accidents involving teen drivers every year.  The new teen driver bill has just been introduced in the U.S. Congress, and is called the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act.

The bill, House Bill 1515 would require all states to enact a graduated driver’s licensing program consisting of three steps.  This includes a learner’s permit, followed by an intermediate phase and then a phase of unrestricted driving.  Under the law, drivers under the age of 18 would have limitations on the number of passengers they can have in their vehicle.  Drivers below the age of 18 can have only one unrelated passenger in the car unless they are accompanied by a driver above the age of 21.  Further, drivers below 18 would be banned from using cell phones while driving.  Besides, the bill would also allow for restrictions by the USDOT.  Such restrictions could include setting a time limitation on time with a learner’s permit before taking the driver’s test.  Such restrictions will also include a minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving experience, and delaying the license for teens who are convicted of a traffic offense.

Studies into teen driver safety have shown that strong and effective graduated driver licensing programs are the best way to reduce accidents involving these motorists.  In fact, earlier this month, a study found that approximately 70% of all accidents are caused because of critical driving errors that teenagers make.  This includes errors like failing to look out for objects from the side of the vehicle.  Teenagers are also more likely to make other errors, like driving too fast for existing traffic and weather conditions.  These are the kinds of errors that can be rectified if a teenager has been put through an effective driver’s licensing program.

Los Angeles car accident attorneys believe that graduated driver licensing programs can help develop a generation of effective drivers, because they help fix those areas that increase the risk of accidents for teenagers.  For instance, many teenage driver-related accidents are caused because of speeding and distracted driving.  Distractions are not only cell phone-related, but also come from fellow teenage passengers.  That’s why an effective graduated driver licensing program sets a limit on the number of teenage passengers that a driver can have before he moves into the unrestricted driving phase.

Unfortunately, although most states do have some kind of graduated driver licensing programs in place, very few of them have an effective program that includes restrictions on nighttime driving as well as passenger restrictions.  The point of graduated driver licensing programs is to delay full license status to a teen driver until he is able to understand the complexities of driving.  A mandated national standard like this could help teenagers get the driving experience they need to avoid accidents.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of auto accidents in Los Angeles. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire to discuss a personal injury matter,  you can reach us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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