Florida teens and car accidents: spectacular progress!

Fatal car accident headlines involving Florida youngsters make for heart-wrenching reading. Some readers wonder how they can prevent this from happening to their own kids, others think of the terrible loss of promising lives, and still others are either disturbed by the injustice of car crashes or spurred into action to prevent them.

All will agree that far too many young victims are injured or killed because they lack experience and are unaware of the dangers of driving. What can be done to stop the massacre?

As it is, a lot has been done already to reduce fatal car crashes involving youngsters. Between 2005 and 2009, the number of youth aged 15 to 20 killed in Florida vehicle accidents dropped from 1,224 to 717, a 41 percent decrease.

What is behind this major improvement?

Many experts agree that stricter law enforcement and Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) have made a significant difference. GDL is intended for aspiring drivers 15 to 17 years old and imposes the following restrictions:

1. The learner license driver must be accompanied by a licensed adult 21 years or older at all times;
2. Restricted license holders aged 16 may not drive between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., while 17-year-olds may not drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.;
3. An exception to rule 2 is when the teen is driving to and from work, in which case rule 1 still applies.

Who is mostly at risk?

GDL’s success comes from targeting the most vulnerable group of drivers.

Teen drivers aged 16 to 19: They are four times more likely to crash than older drivers.
Males: The fatality rate for male drivers and passengers aged between 15 and 19 is two times that of their female counterparts.
Teen passengers: The crash risk increases with the number of teen passengers in the car.
Newly licensed drivers: The risk of a crash is particularly high during the first year a young driver is eligible to drive.
To give the keys of a car to a teenage driver is a gesture of handing over a major responsibility.

If you have been involved in a car accident in North and Central Florida, call the Daytona Beach attorneys of Johnson & Gilbert PA today toll free at (800) 556-8890 and locally at (386) 673-4412 or fill out the form on this page for a free consultation.

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