We are right in the middle of National Teen Driver Safety Week. We can spit out stats that should scare any teenage driver, but most teenagers will never consider that they could be a statistics. So, maybe the consequences of the bad driving may make them think twice. Here are a few of the consequences under Florida law:
1. Too many points for bad driving will result in a license suspension. For teen drivers, Florida law statues that six points in twelve months will result in a restriction to driving to work and school only.
2. Under Florida law, teenage racing will result in their license being suspended for one year.
3. Anyone under the age of 21 driving with a BAC of .02 (not the adult's .08 level) or greater will get an automatic six months suspension of the license.
Other ways a teenager can lose their driver's license in Florida include:
1. Under Florida law, if a teenager skips 15 days of school in a 90-day period, he loses his license.
2. A third conviction (or two within twelve weeks) for possessing tobacco products like cigarettes, chewing tobacco or snuff, will result in a suspension of their license.
3. Using a fake ID to obtain alcohol results in losing a license for six months.
4. A conviction of possessing drugs will result in a minimum suspension of six months.
Now for the statistics that teenage drivers seem to ignore:
- In Florida in 2008, 68.3% of children ages 0-17 killed in vehicle crashes were not using either a child passenger seat or a safety belt.
- In 2008, 18-year-old drivers in Florida had the highest rate of crash involvement in all car accidents, while 19-year-old drivers had the highest rate of fatal car accidents.
- Nationwide in 2008, 37% of 15-20 year old drivers involved in fatal car accidents were speeding.
- Nationwide in 2008, 4,054 teens between the ages of 13-19 years of age died in car accidents.
- In the United States, teens account for only 6.3 percent of the population but are involved in 14 percent of the total number of traffic fatalities.
- Distractions are deadly for teen drivers. Distractions are the No. 1 reason new drivers’ crash.
- While all teens are at a high-risk of experiencing a fatal crash, young males, pickup truck drivers and passengers, as well as people living in rural areas are among those least likely to buckle up.
- 60% of teens know inexperience heavily influences safety, but only 15% correctly view their peers as inexperienced drivers.
Knowledge--whether it be the law or the statistics--can prevent some teenage car accident. With this knowledge, teenage drivers can be safer on the road this National Teen Driver Safety Week and throughout the year.
Drive safely and watch out for those (not matter what age they are) that don't! If you or a friend is injured in a Florida car accident, click here to schedule a free case consultation with Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes. Insurance companies have attorneys fighting for their best interest after your automobile accident, so should you!
