Teenaged driver accidents are proving costly- more than 81,000 people were
killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15-20 from 2000 to 2009 and the
total cost of crashes involving teen drivers in 2009 was around $38.3
billion, The Allstate Foundation License to Save Report said.
One proposal to this consequential trend is implementing the state’s
graduated driving license (GDL) program. A GDL program introduces driving
privileges in a step-by-step manner. That allows teen drivers to slowly
gain experience. Many road safety officials note the benefits of GDL programs.
Our law firm supports any effective program to increase safety in teen
drivers. We want parents to know Georgia GDL laws and help enforce those
with their teen drivers- helping keep their teens safe.
An even newer response to prevent teen driving accidents and deaths features
the use of smart phones and a vehicle technology to relay real time information
about the driver. Automobile crashes are the leading cause of deaths for
American teens. The video in this news article shows a developing App
as a new strategy for keeping teen drivers safe. The “driver’s
ed app” tells the driver of the car and the parents of that driver
what is happening in the car. Alerts like speeding, aggressive driving
and even failure to stop at a stop sign are notified to the driver. A
text message with the same information is sent to a registered parent
as well. It attempts to increase the conversation between teen drivers
and their parents. The real time feedback is aimed at teen drivers to
help them understand poor driving behavior, with the hope that the teen
will correct it. The App is called Drive Scribe and is slated to be available
come April.
All parties concerned- parents, teens and road safety groups- are turning
to a variety of programs and techniques to get young drivers the safe
driving training and knowledge that they need. Other feasible programs
that are popular with parents and teen drivers now include peer programs,
strongly messaged videos and sponsored driver education programs.
One well-known program is the
Ford Driving Skills for Life program; it is a touring program that makes stops across the nation to teach advance
driving skills. In Indianapolis, IN, a program called Miles Ahead gathers
professional race car drivers and teen students together to communicate
defensive driving in a safe yet cool atmosphere.
All these programs and targeted ideas alike have one goal in mind: teen
driver safety.
The CDC relates motor vehicle crashes in the teen age group equivalent to one in three teen deaths. As a preventable problem, organizations
work tirelessly to help teens implement good driving behaviors on the road.
Kalka & Baer represents people who have suffered catastrophic injuries
in bicycle, car, motorcycle and tractor-trailer accidents and also business
owners confronting significant litigation.
