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The Governors Highway Safety Association has released a study showing that in the first half of 2012 there was a jump in the national number of fatal traffic accidents involving teen drivers when compared with the number of crashes during the same period in 2011. Experts have many ideas about how to reduce the instances of teen-driver-related car accidents in Coral Gables and other communities:

1) Increase the amount of driving instruction for teens. Graduated licensing programs have already helped reduce the number of teen drivers involved in serious traffic accidents in Coral Gables and other communities. Experts agree that one of the key reasons behind driving accidents involving teen drivers has to do with driver inexperience. Teens may simply not have the behind-the-wheel experience needed in order to avoid some collisions. Getting additional on-road training and extra instruction can help ensure that teen drivers have the skills needed to drive safely. Parents can help by purchasing additional driving instruction and one-on-one driving instruction for their teens.

2) Crack down on distracted driving. According to the National Safety Council, more than 24 percent of traffic accidents involve cell phone use. About 450,000 teens are injured each year and 3,000 are killed due to car accidents, and many experts believe that distracted driving is a key contributor to many accidents involving teen drivers. Studies show that in addition to cell phone use, other passengers are a key cause of distraction for teen drivers. In fact, teen drivers who have teen passengers are more likely to be involved in an accident when compared with teen drivers driving alone or with an adult in the car.

3) Alert teens about the dangers of fatigued driving. Teens may not be aware that driving fatigued is a dangerous situation, so it is important for parents and other adults to explain to teen drivers the dangers of driving distracted and potentially falling asleep behind the wheel.

4) Have parents set rules about driving. Teens should learn that driving is a privilege, not a right. To that end, parents can help by setting firm rules – such as no texting and driving or no passengers in the car – to ensure that their teens do not take unnecessary risks as they slowly build their driving skills.

5) Insist on remedial lessons for teens who get into fender-benders. Fender benders and near accidents are often warning signs that a teen’s driving skills need additional work. Parents can help by getting their teenage driver more one-on-one instruction time and in-car instruction time from a professional driving instructor. This can help teens correct any bad habits and help them get the skills they need in order to avoid collisions.

6) Show teens the effects of dangerous driving. Local authorities have education programs designed especially for teen drivers. It is important for parents to make sure that their teens see the devastating impact that reckless driving, distracted driving, fatigued driving, and careless driving can cause.

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If you are a parent and have a young driver in the house, keep in mind that young drivers are at greater risk of Coral Springs car accidents when compared with adult drivers. According to research studies, this may be because teen drivers have less driving experience and, as a group, are more prone to risk-taking. As a parent, there are several things you can do:

1) Don’t assume that your teen is safe if they are too young for a driver’s license. Even if your teen is too young for a driver’s license, they may be getting rides with their older friends who have cars. Set rules in place early – well before a 16th birthday. Make sure your teen knows not to get into a car with a drunk or distracted driver. Have your teen know that they can always call you to get a safe ride home – no questions asked

2) The car should be home by 10 PM. Night driving is very different than driving in the daytime, and night driving puts a teen driver at a greater risk of a Coral Springs truck accident or car accident. Until teens develop their driving skills further, they should be prevented from driving too late at night. Parents may also wish to get them some one-on-one instruction with a qualified driving instructor for night driving.

3) Put some rules in place. Have written rules about driving or riding in cars. These rules should include rules about no drinking and no distracted driving. They can also include rules about the number of passengers in the car.

4) Have consequences in place for rules violated. If a teen driver drinks and drives, drives distracted, or otherwise violate the rules that parents have set up for safe driving, the teen should face consequences – such as loss of driving privileges or the loss of other privileges. If your teen knows that they will lose driving privileges or other privileges by driving distracted, they may choose to put their mobile devices and other distractions away when driving.

5) Sign a pledge with your teen not drive distracted or drunk. Signing this sort of pledge together shows that you are both committed to avoiding distracted driving and drunk driving. There many online pledges that you can sign as well as online certificates and pledges that you can print out and sign with your teen.

6) Get your teen additional driver training. Most teens can get a driver’s license with only a very limited number of practical in-car hours and many of those driving hours do not include very focused one-on-one instruction. Additional one-on-one training with a trained driving instructor or defensive driving classes can help develop skills and can reduce the risk of a Coral Springs traffic accident. Racing classes can also be a fun way for your teen to hone skills.

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A young man is facing drunk driving charges after allegedly being in a car accident on Highway 13 near the Beaufort-Pitt County line over the weekend. Police believe the teen was heading east on Highway 33 when he lost control of his car. Authorities say that the car hit a road sign, careened into a ditch and slammed into a light pole, knocking it down.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that the teen called his family after the wreck. But troopers say the teen fled the area on foot. Troopers apparently responded to the scene of the accident and apparently waited for the teen’s family to arrive. Authorities say that the troopers commanded the family members to go find the teen.

The Highway Patrol says that the teen’s family brought him to the scene of the accident. At that point, the 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, leaving the scene of an accident and failing to maintain lane control.

It is not clear in the media what level of drunk driving charges the young man faces after the alleged incident. Most people know that the legal limit to drive in North Carolina is set at 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration. That is what is known as the per se level of impairment, where the law-unfortunately-assumes impairment for all drivers. However, law enforcement and prosecutors can also bring charges based upon the observations of officers in a normal DWI case, if the officers believe that the driver was impaired while driving.

But for underage drivers–those who are under the age of 21–North Carolina law allows authorities to pursue underage DUI charges based upon any evidence of consumption. A teen or 20-year-old driver can face underage drinking and driving charges when well below the general legal limit of 0.08 percent BAC.

Source: WITN, “Teen Flees Scene Of Wreck, Charged With DWI,” Dec. 17, 2012

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Distracted driving is a key cause of Florida and North Miami traffic accidents. Research has also shown that teen drivers are more likely than adult drivers to be involved in a car accident. Many parents worry about the statistics and worry about the fact that their teens maybe driving distracted, putting them more at risk of a North Miami car accident. However, there many things that parents can do to help prevent their teens from driving distracted:

1) Make sure your teen knows what driving distracted is. Some teens assume that checking their cell phone very quickly does not amount to distracted driving. It is important to emphasize to teen drivers that taking their eyes or their mind off of driving for even a fraction of second is enough to cause a serious North Miami traffic accident. List all the types of distracted driving possible — including changing a CD, talking to passengers, daydreaming, etc. Make sure that your teen understands that there are many ways to be distracted and that all of them can lead to a North Miami truck accident or car accident.

2) Make sure your teen knows the laws. Some drivers assume that since Florida does not ban texting and driving, it is safe to do in the car. Many research studies, however, have proven that distracted driving can lead to traffic accident and can actually be just as risky as North Miami drunk driving. In addition, Florida law does allow someone who was injured in a car accident to pursue a legal claim against an at-fault driver who was driving recklessly. Therefore, even if your teen does not technically break the law by texting and driving, if the texting causes injuries in a car accident they could be held liable. Make sure your teen understands this law.

3) Help your teen understand the consequences of distracted driving. There are many online resources that describe in graphic detail how families have been torn apart and how people have suffered catastrophic North Miami head injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, and other serious injuries as a result of distracted driving. Oprah aired an entire episode a few seasons ago about distracted driving. In addition, many law enforcement agencies have information about distracted driving, including information about how catastrophic the results of this type of driving can be. Gather a number of resources and watch them with your teen so that they can see firsthand just how a few seconds of texting or distracted driving can lead to tragedy.

4) Work with your teen to raise awareness about distracted driving. If your teen is able to get involved with raising awareness about distracted driving, he or she may be less likely to drive distractedly themselves. Consider volunteering your time and efforts with an organization dedicated to helping prevent distracted driving. It may help teach your teen driver how important it is to keep their full focus on the road while driving.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Statistics show that teen drivers are more likely than adult drivers to be involved in car accidents. There are a number of reasons for this. The most common reason is that teen drivers have less driving experience than older drivers, and this can put them at risk for an accident simply because they do not know how to avoid a collision. In some cases, teen drivers also take a larger risk than older drivers. For example, they may drive distracted or may engage in other risky behaviors that lead to a Davie car accident. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration believes that parents can play a key role in preventing teen car accidents. According to the agency, there are rules that parents can establish to help their children stay safe on the roads:

1) Always wear a seat belt. Both teen drivers and their passengers should wear a seat belt correctly each time that they are in a car. Wearing a seat belt can help prevent Davie head injuries in the event of a crash as well as many other serious injuries. The simple seatbelt, despite the advent of many safety features, remains one of the most important pieces of safety equipment in any car.

2) No alcohol. In Florida, teenage drivers are not allowed to have any alcohol in their blood system. This means that teen drivers cannot drink at all when they are driving. Many parents assume that their children do not drink and drive because they are underage and cannot secure alcohol easily. Unfortunately, it is all too common for teen drivers to cause Davie drunk driving accidents, and alcohol is easier to procure than many parents believe. Underage drinking is a serious problem across Florida, so it is important for parents to enforce no drinking rules for their teen drivers.

3) No using a cell phone or texting while driving. Teen drivers often feel that they will miss something important if they turn off their cell phones or mobile devices off while driving. In addition, many teens like to stay connected at all times, even when they are driving. While Florida does not have any laws banning cell phone use or texting and driving, multiple research studies have suggested that texting while driving can be as dangerous as drinking and driving. Distracted driving is a leading cause of many Davie truck accidents and car accidents. In order to keep your teen driver safe, it is important for parents to enforce the no distracted driving rule. There are online pledges that teen drivers can sign, promising that they will not drive distracted.

4) Only one passenger in the car at a time. Studies have shown that teens with multiple teenage passengers in the car are more likely to be involved in risk-taking activities and more likely to be involved in a car accident. The more teens are in the car, the higher the risk of an accident or injury. The same studies, however, show that having an adult in the car can actually reduce the risk of a car accident for a teen driver. Based on this type of research, it is a good idea for parents to limit the number of passengers that their teen drivers are allowed in the car.

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While a shocking 11.4% of the alcohol consumed in the United States is consumed by underage drinkers, a recent CDC report claims that 10% of high school drinkers report drinking and driving. Any drinking and driving is too much drinking and driving, but teen drinking and driving has fallen by more than half since 1991. Although significantly cutting drinking and driving is a laudable accomplishment, it does not indicate that these high drinkers are making more responsible choices with alcohol.

Of those teens that reported drinking and driving, a startling 85% of them said they binge drank before driving. It appears as though drinking and driving has developed a negative stigma since 1991, which makes roads safer. However, discouraging drinking and driving does not appear to be halting dangerous consumption. This level of over consumption puts teenage lives in a different type of danger. Without the opportunity to learn to make responsible choices, one can only wonder if drinking to such dangerous levels will increase?

Click here for more on the CDC’s report. 

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According to research by Consumer Reports, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among teens, ahead of cancer, violence, or substance abuse. While graduated licensing has reduced the number of teen deaths due to car accidents, Fort Lauderdale car accidents are still a major risk factor for teens. Luckily, traffic accidents are largely preventable. According to Consumer Reports, there are many things that parents can do to help their teens drive safely:

1) Insist on a seatbelt. Consumer Reports found that in 60% of fatal car accidents involving teens, the teens were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. A seat belt is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to prevent Fort Lauderdale head injuries and other injuries in an accident. In the event of a Fort Lauderdale truck accident or car accident, wearing a seatbelt could save your child’s life.

2) Set a good example. Children learn from the adults around them, often without even realizing it. If you drive safely and responsibly, chances are good that your child will, too.

3) Set strict rules about drinking. Consumer Reports found that 27% of teens involved in fatal car accidents had been drinking at the time of the accident. Even if a teen driver is under the legal age for drinking, many teens do experiment with alcohol. When that experimentation is combined with driving, the consequences can be deadly. Worse, many teens fear phoning their parents for a drive home after drinking, worried that they will be in trouble for drinking. Make it clear to your teen drivers that they can always contact you for a drive home if they cannot get home safely – no questions asked.

4) Talk to your teen driver about distracted driving. Distracted driving is a major cause of Fort Lauderdale traffic accidents. Distracted driving can mean anything from texting and driving to having too many passengers in a car. Some companies and car manufacturers are stepping in to help parents prevent distracted driving. Ford’s MyKey, for example, can be programmed so that a teen has to faster a seatbelt before turning on the radio and allows a top speed to be set on the car.

5) Insist on additional driving training, including defensive driver training. According to Consumer Reports and many safety experts, the driver training required to get a driver’s license is not usually enough to truly teach safe driving skills. In most cases, the instruction results in only limited time behind the wheel and the courses usually focus on the basics of driving, rather than on important skills such as defensive driving. Sign up your teen for one-on-one driver training or additional driving instruction. The extra investment could save your teen’s life.

6) Limit car privileges until your teen has taken additional classes or has gained some driving experience. Consumer Reports found that 16-year-old drivers are three times more like to get into a car accident when compared with 18 or 19-year-old drivers. The first year of driving is riskiest, but parents can reduce the risk by setting some ground rules – such as limiting the number of passengers in the teen’s car – or by insisting that the teen hone their driving skills and experience before being allowed more time with the car.

7) Buy your teen the right car. Consumer Reports suggests a newer model that has some safety features, such as side curtain air bags and electronic stability control. Many teens opt for older cars due to the costs, but experts agree that older cars may have fewer safety features and may be in poorer shape, putting young drivers at risk.

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North Carolina law enforcement says that mother threw a party for her daughter and up to 400 other people June 30. The daughter is 19-years-old. The young woman reportedly had applied for a block party permit, but had been denied. Authorities say that the 48-year-old woman then held a huge party that including guests under the age of 18. The woman is now accused of alcohol and drug offenses. Neighbors say that the woman did not throw the party, but only allowed her daughter to have the event.

Police say that they knew about the party, due to the application for a permit. Authorities in Winston-Salem had denied the permit due to the time of day (10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.). Law enforcement visited the neighborhood at some point to check on traffic flow. Authorities claim that they spoke to the mother, and warned her about potential underage drinking violations.

Law enforcement claims that a neighbor called in a complaint about alleged marijuana use at the party. Officers reportedly returned to the neighborhood after the complaint, which reportedly came in just after midnight. Police say that beer cans, bottles and other items were strewn about the yard of the home of the mother. Police claim that an underage person was found at the party who was in need of medical assistance.

Police requested to search the woman’s home, but she reportedly asserted her right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion. Authorities later obtained a search warrant, and claim that evidence of underage drinking and illegal drug use was found inside the residence.

The woman has been charged with a variety of underage alcohol offenses and drug charges, including possession of marijuana, and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of violating drug crime laws. She was booked into jail on ,000 bond.

The daughter faces charges for allegedly aiding and abetting underage alcohol offenses and for underage drinking.

Thirteen people who allegedly attended the party have been charged with underage drinking offenses. One person faces North Carolina DWI charges. The additional people face drug charges in the aftermath of the party.

Source: WMFY-TV, “Police: Winston-Salem Mom Provided Drugs, Alcohol At Party For Minors,” July 2, 2012

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At this time of year, there are more teens on the road as summer starts and classes end. Unfortunately, statistics suggest that teen drivers are also more at risk at this time of year when driving — especially if they are driving distracted. According to a yearly survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 58% of high school seniors and 43% of high school juniors admitted to emailing or texting within the past month.

While Florida does not have any laws banning the use of mobile devices on the roads, there is a great deal of awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Anecdotally, many drivers are aware that distracted driving causes Hialeah car accidents and serious injury. Statistics and studies have also proven that distracted driving can lead to serious car collisions.

According to the CDC, distracted driving causes about 16% of teen car accident fatalities.
Summer may compound the problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), summer is deadliest time of year for younger drivers under the age of 20. In addition, car accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities, according to the organization. Each year, more than 5000 teens are killed in car collisions across the country. In the summer months, the number of teen fatalities in car accidents jumps to 422 deaths monthly, up from 363 deaths, on average, during the rest of the year.

During the summer, there are dual concerns for parents hoping to protect their teens from a Hialeah traffic accident. One factor is that the summer months are already a riskier time for teen drivers because teen drivers are spending more time on the road. Another factor is that teens are more likely than some other age groups to use mobile devices or drive distracted, pushing their risk of being in a Hialeah truck accident or car accident even higher.

The stakes may be even higher, as well. A serious at-fault accident during the teenage years could affect a teen driver’s driving privileges, driving records, and insurance rates for years. A serious car crash can also lead to criminal charges and even a criminal record against a teen – a record that could affect their life for years to come. The trauma of causing a serious accident and injuries or fatalities can also stay with a teen for years to come. Of course, if a teen driver drives distracted and is injured, the Hialeah head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other serious injuries can affect income potential and life quality permanently.

In addition, teen drivers are still forming driving habits, so it is important to instill the habit of distraction-free driving in younger drivers. Parents of teen drivers can start by having honest discussions with their teens about the dangers of distracted driving. There are many good resources available online and from local police departments about the dangers of distracted driving. Parents can use these resources when helping their teens understand the dangers. A few discussions can help drivers understand the dangers and can help prevent Hialeah motorcycle accidents and car accidents.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

New information from the AAA shows that teen drivers are more likely to be in deadly car collisions when they drive with passengers who are under 21 years of age. According to the statistics, having one young passenger and no adult in a passenger vehicle with a teen driver increases a teen driver’s risk of a fatal car accident by 44% when compared with driving without passengers. As each additional young passenger is added, the risk of being involved in a fatal car accident increases. The same research, however, finds that when a passenger in the car is an adult over the age of 35, a teen driver’s risk of being in a fatal car collision is actually decreased by 62%

According to the AAA and other experts, these statistics show what has already been known anecdotally; younger passengers distract teen drivers and may encourage risky behaviors while having an adult in the car can encourage teen drivers to drive more cautiously. According to experts, even when younger passengers are quiet, they can be a distraction for a young driver. Distracted drivers may experience what is known as “inattention blindness.” This occurs when a driver is looking at the roadway but is distracted enough to not process everything in front of them. When this occurs, the driver cannot react in time to obstacles, in many cases, and this can result in Miami pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents.

The implications of the research is clear: if parents want to ensure that they teens are not involved in Miami traffic accidents, it is important to place limits on passengers. Parents may also want to restrict other distraction in the car and even ask teens to drive with an adult passenger during the first few months after being licensed.

Another study, out of Melbourne’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, shows that road accidents are the leading cause of teen deaths around the world. International research showed that injuries were the result of 40% of fatalities to young people between the ages of 10 and 24. The single leading cause of death in this age group, according to researchers, was car accidents. Researchers in the study also found an alarming trend: while fatality rates for young children under the age of five have declined over 80% internationally in the past five decades, teen fatalities have not significantly declined in the same time period. Worse, the US has the highest teen fatality rates of 27 developed countries, in part due to the rate of car accidents and violence across the country.

Some countries, including Australia, have reduced teen mortality rates by reducing road speeds, improving licensing programs, and improving road and vehicle quality. It may be time to get more serious about preventing Miami car accidents so that the rate of teen fatalities can be reduced.

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