Motorcyclists in Georgia are at a greater risk of collisions with motorists this summer, when more numbers of drivers and motorcyclists can be expected to share the road. Not only are motorcyclists dealing with a large population of adult drivers on their way to holidays distracted by their families and their holiday plans, but they are also sharing the highways with larger numbers of teen drivers. 

Summer is when the total number of teenage drivers on the road is higher, and the months of June, July and August see 40% more driving by those teen motorists. These are inexperienced drivers, who may fail to practice basic motorcycle safety behaviors, like looking out for motorcyclists at intersections. This accident illustrates how necessary it is for motorists to be extra cautious when approaching an intersection, and look out for motorcycles. Many young and teen drivers tend to think of summer as a long, extended weekend, and fail to prioritize traffic safety rules. 

Additionally, motorcyclists are also likely to be at great risk from drivers who are distracted. A motorcycle has a narrow frame, which makes it easy to miss. The risks of missing a motorcyclist are even greater if you're talking on a cell phone or texting while driving. Unfortunately, Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys expect to see more such reckless and distracted driving during the summer.

April was set as National Distracted Driving Month through a special move by Congress, and across the country including Georgia, state and local transportation agencies will mark the month with special efforts to crack down on distracted drivers, and raise awareness about these practices. While much of the focus on distracted drivers this month is likely to be on those using cell phones while driving, there are all kinds of other distractions that increase the risk of an accident. In fact, some studies estimate that approximately 80% of all accidents are caused by some kind of distractions. These include motorists using cell phones, texting, changing radio stations, snacking, reading newspapers, applying makeup, and performing any other activities that take their eyes away from the road and their hands off the steering wheel.

However, the risk from the use of cell phones and other electronic communication devices while driving is especially greater, because cell phones can be found in almost every car. Besides, in a tough economy, American workers have felt under greater pressure than ever to constantly stay in touch with the office 24/7, even while they're driving.   There is also an entire section of Atlanta’s population that has been raised on Facebook and MySpace. For these drivers, not being in touch with their friends 24/7 via smart phone is, quite simply, unthinkable.

It is these challenges that we need to make a special effort towards this April.

The study is a work in progress, and final results will not be available for many years. However, preliminary findings seem to indicate that teenagers, who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, have difficulties in concentration that could cause them to be distracted, and increase the risks of an auto accident. Besides, these risks are amplified manifold if these ADHD teens also text or use cell phone calls while driving. 

Surprisingly to Atlanta car accident lawyers, the study also finds that teenagers actually like having an in-car monitoring device, because they can show their parents that they are driving safely.

Fabiano has a few words of advice for parents of teenage drivers. Use the same kind of driving guidelines that you would use for a non-ADHD teen. A parent-child contract that rewards good driving behavior and punishes poor driving practices can be just as effective for a teenager suffering from ADHD, as a non-ADHD teenager.

Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers aged between 15 and 19 and cause a substantial number of teen injuries. Unfortunately, these facts have not changed in spite of years of efforts to prevent teen accidents. This National Teen Driver Safety Week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching a campaign called “Parents Have the Key” aimed at encouraging parental involvement in teen motorist safety. We all have to do more to prevent teen auto accidents, but the best place to start preventing accidents is at home.

There's a reason why a special week for teen motorist safety is commemorated in the month of October. This is the month that is believed to be the deadliest for teen motorists. Nationally, the highest number of car accident claims involving teen motorists is filed in the month of October.

On this blog, we have advocated greater cooperation from parents in preventing teen car accidents. Several studies have indicated that parents have a crucial role to play in raising a generation of responsible drivers.   According to USA Today, many parents are now going back to a basic way of keeping track of teen motorists, through parent-teen contracts. 

These contracts are available through insurers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and cover a number of provisions, from when your teenager can use the car, to the kind of passengers allowed in the car while driving. The contract allows you to modify some of the rules as your teenager gets more driving experience, and you can also spell out the kind of punishments that apply in case of violations. In fact, insurance companies offer discounts to parents and teenagers who sign these contracts. 

Technologies and awareness campaigns definitely have a role to play, but ultimately it's parents who will need to step up and do their bit. A parent-teen contract can be a great place to start.

According to this study, many parents are making a mistake by allowing teenagers to get their driver's license even before they're ready for it. The result is generally more accidents involving young teens than those who waited. The study involved 50 families in North Carolina, who were monitored over a period of four months after the teenager in the family received his driver’s license. The families were monitored through cameras that were installed in the cars of these families. 

Approximately 50% of the parents in the study admitted that there were situations in which they were not comfortable letting their child drive. For instance, these parents were not comfortable allowing their children to drive in bad weather or in heavy traffic. However, even among these parents, one third went ahead and allowed their child to get his driver's license anyway.

The researchers also found that the most frequent instructions that the parents gave their children as they drove, was to slow down speeds. Most often, these instructions were delivered in emotionally charged voices. 

It's important for teen motorists to learn to anticipate other motorists’ behavior while they are driving, and parents can help teach them these skills. Unfortunately, just about 5% of the clips show the parents discussing these practices with their children.

The lessons to take home from the study are:

·        Have frequent driving practice sessions with your child. These sessions can be used to give your child tips and advice that he will find useful to hone his driving skills.

·        If you're not comfortable with your child driving in bad weather, on highways or in heavy traffic, make sure that he continues to retain a learner's permit until his driving improves.

·        Teach by practice. Your child will learn safe driving practices only when you drive safely yourself.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.