Florida Supports Teen Driving Safety Week

Each day throughout this nation there are over 15 car accidents that involve teen drivers, says the National Safety Council (NSC). This statistic is frightening, which is why the NSC has named one of their weeks of the National Safety Month as “Teen Driving Safety” week.

Recently there have been several devastating Florida car crashes that have involved teenage drivers. Sometimes, teens are not even the ones who are killed in these crashes. Statistics show that two out of three people killed in car accidents involving teen drivers are people other than the teens, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, passengers, motorists and drivers of other cars involved.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teen drivers are more at risk of being in a car crash during their first year or 1,000 miles of driving. In fact, 16-year-old drivers are 15 times more likely to get into a crash than drivers who have 4 to 8 years or more of driving experience. This is typically because teen drivers are learning the Florida roads, perfecting their reaction times and defensive driving skills, and are not experienced enough to avoid certain hazards.

As teens get more practice and more exposure to higher-risk situations, it will reduce their chances of being in Florida car accidents. This is why Florida’s Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) program is helpful for young drivers to gain more exposure to different driving conditions before graduating to the next stage. Although the graduated licensing system does not prevent all teen driver crashes, it has been able to help more young drivers mature and grow as a driver.

Since Florida adopted their three-stage graduated licensing system, the state saw a 9% reduction in teen fatalities during the first year of the GDL program. Parents can play a crucial role in helping save the life of their teen as well as the lives of other innocent motorists. For more information about steps a parent can take, please read our blog, 5 Tips for Parents of Florida Teen Drivers.

If your teenage driver was involved and injured in a Fort Lauderdale crash or South Florida accident, call the Law Office of David Benenfeld to speak with a skilled Florida personal injury lawyer. You can contact our office at (954) 677-0155(954) 677-0155 to schedule a free, no obligation legal consultation.