New teenage drivers in California may get a better start to driving that most teens in other states. In addition to promoting safe driving through its Graduated Drivers License program, California also offers a Start Smart course for teen drivers. While California may not be able to stop all motor vehicle accidents, injuries and deaths involving teens, the state is helping to reduce potential risks to motor safety for all drivers on California roads.
Driving is Deadly for Teens
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website on motor vehicle safety, around 3,500 U.S. teens between the ages of 15 and 19 died from injuries sustained in car crashes in 2008. Also in 2008, over 350,000 teens received emergency medical treatment for motor vehicle collision injuries. In addition, car accidents are the main cause of fatalities among American teens, and teen drivers are four times more likely to crash than average drivers per mile driven.
California ranks among the top five states for its rate of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), almost 600 people were killed in car accidents involving teens in 2008. Although teen drivers are only approximately four percent of California's licensed drivers, they are blamed for more than 50 percent of all deadly car accidents in the state in which they are involved. However, CHP programs and strict driving laws help keep teen drivers safe in California.
California's Safety Approach
The U.S. News and World Report website ranks California as the second best states for teen drivers because of its driving laws and safety programs. California's Graduated Drivers License (GDL) laws allows teens to begin driving, but with restrictions until they are 18. When teens are just over 15, they can get a learner's permit to drive with a parent or other licensed driver. At 16, provisional permits give teens a bit more driving freedom, but they cannot have other teen passengers or drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Full driving privileges are earned when a teen turns 18 and has a clean driving record.
A recent addition to California's approach to safety is the CHP's Start Smart program, which provides teen-focused driver safety classes for teens and their parents or guardians. The two-hour sessions typically cover accident causes, crash avoidance techniques, using seatbelts, and the responsibilities of both teen drivers and their parents. The CHP also employs more emotional tactics by showing videos about fatal motor vehicle accidents involving teens and providing testimonies of family members who lost someone in a car crash.
Reduce Accidents, Save Lives
Last year, the California Office of Traffic Safety rated various aspects of teen driving safety. Among the improvements, teen seatbelt usage increased about three percent, fatal accidents involving teens decreased around 14 percent, and teen driver fatalities dropped approximately five percent. While the graduated licensing laws continue to keep California roads safer by slowly turning out newly licensed drivers, programs like Start Smart directly contribute to improving the statistics by decreasing accidents and injuries to teens and other drivers and passengers and saving lives.
If you or a loved one was recently involved in a motor vehicle accident involving a teen or adult driver, contact a California personal injury attorney to discuss your rights and legal options. Holding negligent drivers accountable for causing injuries or deaths is another way to make California roads safer for all drivers.
