Georgia Injury Law Blog

There is a growing debate nationwide over the need for a mandatory federal standard for driver’s licensing programs. Currently, there is no single federal standard. As Atlanta auto accident lawyers, we strongly support a strict, federal mandatory standard for licensing policies. A bill called the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act would establish exactly such a standard. It's not surprising that some of the strongest supporters of this proposed standard are parents. 

A new survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveals that parents favor stronger licensing standards for their children. The study is the first of its kind into parental attitudes towards graduated driver’s licensing policies. It clearly reveals that parents strongly favor licensing policies that can prevent their children's risk of being involved in an accident.

The parents were asked several questions, including their opinion about nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions. 90% of the parents said that they were in favor of nighttime driving restrictions on teenagers, and most of them wanted restrictions that began at 10 PM or earlier. Georgia’s GDL laws impose a restriction on nighttime driving between midnight and 6 AM for teen drivers. 

There was also strong parental support for supervised driving requirements. 60% of the parents wanted 50 hours of supervised driving, and 40% wanted 100 or more supervised driving hours. 

Much of the accident risk for teen motorists comes from their teenage passengers. In fact, studies have shown that the risk of an accident for a teen motorist increases with the number of passengers in the car. This was likely what was going through the minds of the parents in the survey, as they voiced their strong support for restrictions on teen passengers. 44% wanted just one unrelated teen passenger in a teenager’s car, while 38 % wanted no passenger at all. 

It's safe to say that the public mood is swinging in favor of a strong, tough federal standard for licensing programs. Georgia’s lawmakers must make note of the results of this survey when they decide whether to vote in favor of the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act.

Posted By Lisa Siegel In Teen Drivers | 0 Comments Permalink

Speeding by Female Teen Motorists Is a Dangerous Trend

A recent survey by insurer Allstate reveals some disturbing trends. A majority of female teen motorists in the survey admitted to driving at excessive speeds, texting while driving, driving aggressively and other dangerous behaviors.

According to the survey, approximately 46% of the girls admitted that they were likely to drive at excessive speeds. In comparison, just 36% of boys admitted to doing so. When it came to distracted driving, girls stole a march over boys again. More than half of the girls said that they frequently texted or talked on the phone while driving. In comparison, only about 38% of the boys in the survey admitted to doing so.

The survey was conducted by an auto insurer, and there'll be those who wonder if the insurer has released the findings of the survey in time to announce possible plans to raise premium rates for female teen motorists. However, as Atlanta car accident attorneys and parents, we can't help being concerned about these findings.

Around the country, there has been an increase in other dangerous driving practices by adult women. Several studies have indicated that the numbers of women who are drinking and driving is actually increasing, while the rates of drunk driving among men are declining. Sociologists have an explanation for this. According to them, women are likely to consider drinking in public and driving soon after, as a sign of confidence, aggressiveness and other desirable “masculine” qualities that are highly in demand in the workplace.

It's very likely that many female teen motorists consider speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving as desirable behaviors that signify their independence and boldness, both personality traits that might seem highly attractive to teenage girls.

Posted By Lisa Siegel In Teen Drivers | 0 Comments Permalink

For highschoolers across America, graduation time is also when they receive their first car. It is a momentous occasion in the life of your child, and marks a major step towards adulthood. The decision of what car to buy for your teen, can be nerve-racking. As Atlanta car accident attorneys and parents, we know that this is not a decision that taken carelessly. It's also not a decision taken under pressure from your teen.

Here is some advice for you as you decide to buy your teen a first car.

Don't assume that the car your child wants, is the right car. Typically, boys prefer fast, high-performance sports cars. However, these vehicles may not be the best choice. Experts suggest that you buy a larger car for teen motorists. A larger midsize SUV or pickup truck is an ideal choice, because bigger vehicles have traditionally been found to protect their passengers better in an accident. There are technical reasons for this. You're definitely safer if you're sitting at a level higher from other fenders on the freeway. 

However, if you're planning on an SUV, know that these vehicles also come with a higher risk of a rollover. Traditionally sports-utility vehicles and pickup trucks have this issue, and also run a higher risk of ejecting their vehicle’s occupants during a rollover accident.

Look for cars that come with the latest safety features, like Electronic Stability Control systems. These systems have been responsible for saving thousands of lives over the years. Side airbags are another nifty feature that protects your child during side impact crashes. However, these features may not be available on older vehicles. If you're shopping for a used car, look for a model that has at least some of the more advanced safety features that your car has. The more safety features, the better.

Look up the website of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and other organizations for crash test information. These can help you make a choice even if your budget only allows for a used vehicle.

However, Atlanta car accident lawyers and auto safety advocates would agree on one thing - no matter what make or model the car, it's important that your child be equipped with the right driving skills, training and knowledge, in order to drive safely.

Posted By Lisa Siegel In Teen Drivers | 0 Comments Permalink

Study Reveals Teen Texting While Driving is Dangerously High

A new study that included teens from Atlanta, has revealed some frightening statistics that should cause great concern to Georgia personal injury lawyers. The study included 800 teens between 12 and 17, and 74 more in 9 focus groups in Atlanta, New York, Denver and Ann Arbor. According to the study, about a quarter of teens aged between 16 to 17 years admit to having texted while at the wheel.

However, it’s not that fact - scary as it is – that worries us the most. Almost half of the respondents between 12 and 17 years old in the Pew survey, admitted that they frequently see their parents texting while driving.

The study reveals one thing - parents of teen motorists seem to be shirking their responsibility to teach their children the right driving behaviors, and set an example for them. According to surveyors, while some of the teenagers admitted to feeling nervous and unsafe when their parents texted while driving, other teens confirmed our worst fears – they believed that texting while driving was not really a big issue.  

The study focuses on two safety issues that we as Atlanta auto accident lawyers have been seriously concerned about - texting while driving, and teen motorist safety. The texting-while-driving menace has been traced to a fatal train crash in California last year, as well as a serious trolley accident in Boston this year. It also injures thousands of motorists, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists every year.

The second issue, teen motorist safety, is one that we as attorneys and parents, take very seriously. Parents must step up to do their duty in raising responsible teen motorists. Raising the next generation of smart, informed and safe motorists in Georgia will require not only the efforts of law enforcement, state and country agencies and communities, but also parents.

Posted By Lisa Siegel In Teen Drivers | 0 Comments Permalink

Atlanta Teens Get Crash Course in Accident Risks of Distracted Driving

The nationwide focus on distracted driving was also in place in Atlanta yesterday as teenage drivers got a crash course in the increased risk of accidents when they are distracted behind the wheel.

The distracted driving training course was organized by Allstate, and was one of 42 events organized across the country to prove the dangers of poor concentration while driving. Teenagers were encouraged to drive around the training course while experiencing several distractions in the form of fellow passengers and loud music. The teens were made to send text messages on their phones, snack while driving and indulge in other distracted behaviors. The results of the training program, as Atlanta personal injury lawyers, would have expected, were not too surprising. The teens found it hard to navigate the training course.

Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay and his 14-year-old son also participated in the event. The two signed a driving contract under which McKay's son agreed to punishments for speeding, cell phone use while driving, failure to wear seatbelts etc.

Across the country, there has been renewed attention on the dangers of distracted driving, in particular distractions involving the use of cell phones by motorists. A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute last month showed that text messaging while driving, increased the risk of an accident by up to 23 times. Those are staggering numbers that have galvanized law makers into action. A bill has been introduced under which states would be required to pass laws banning text messaging behind the wheel, failing which they would lose up to 25 percent of their annual federal highway safety funding.. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is also convening a summit of transportation officials, law enforcement representatives and law makers next month, to consider ways in which a ban on text messaging can be effectively enforced.

A representative of the Governor Highway Safety Association puts it best when he says that the current situation with cell phone use is similar to where the country was back in the 80s, when drunk driving was a serious problem. We all know cell phone use behind the wheel is a major distraction and a serious contributor to accidents, but we are still not completely sure how to effectively deal with it. Public tolerance to drunk driving has dropped dramatically over the past couple of decades. As Atlanta car accident lawyers, we hope the public develops zero tolerance for cell phone use behind the wheel too.

Posted By Lisa Siegel In Teen Drivers | 0 Comments Permalink