New Driver’s Licenses Policy Promotes Teen Driver Safety

Studies show that a driver’s greatest lifetime risk of being involved in a car crash occurs during their first year of driving. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the law firm of Cochran-Ohio are promoting policies and tips to reduce the risks for teenage drivers and to promote Teen Driver Safety.

Statistics show that from 1996 to 2008 the rate of teen drivers aged 16 to 17 involved in fatal crashes decreased by 50 percent. While the economy and the price of gasoline may have played a part in the decline, the Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) program is credited with having the greatest impact on increased teen driver safety. Yet not all states have implemented the three-stage GDL program.

How the GDL Program Works toward Teen Driver Safety

The Graduated Driver Licensing program works by giving new drivers more time to learn to drive, while limiting distraction and nighttime driving prior to the teen obtaining a full license. Therefore, helping to promote Teen Driver Safety

• Stage 1 – New drivers aged 16 years or older obtain a Learner’s permit that they must hold for at least six months.
• Stage 2 – New drivers receive a Probationary License that limits the number of teen passengers that can be in the car with a teen driver to one passenger or less. This license also prohibits teens from driving between the hours of 10:00 pm to 5:00 am.
• Stage 3 – New drivers can obtain their full drivers license at age 18.

Other Policies That Help Improve Teen Driver Safety

Other policies that have been proven to aid in teen driver safety, including some that have not yet been implemented across the nation include –

• Primary Seat Belt laws- that would allow law enforcement to pull a driver over and give them a ticket for failing to use their seat belts
• Raising the national minimum drinking age to 21
• Zero Tolerance Laws that establish a limit of .02 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for all drivers under the age of 21
• Distracted Driving Laws that effectively bans cell phone use by young drivers, and make cell phone use and texting a primary offense
• A National Driver Training and Education System that is integrated with the Graduated Driver Licensing program

About the Chochran Firm-Ohio

As an experienced personal injury law firm, The Cochran Firm has positioned itself to handle civil cases on behalf of its clients in the areas of bus/truck/automobile accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, product liability, and nursing home abuse. At The Cochran Firm, our highway accident lawyers know how to build an effective case that will maximize your recovery. The attorneys and staff at The Firm are committed to upholding the standards of excellence set by its founding partner in representing all of their clients. The Cochran Firm – Ohio’s team of highly experienced lawyers continually fight for justice for all of its clients. If you have been injured in a bus/car/truck accident, call the trusted bus accident lawyers at Ohio’s full-service law firm “The Cochran Firm – Ohio” today at 513-381-HURT.