Teen Car Accidents in Fort Lauderdale a High Risk with Relaxed GDL Laws

Teenage drivers in the state of Florida don’t have many restrictions when it comes to our state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program.

Florida has one of the most relaxed programs compared to other states and teens in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere are at higher risks for a fatal car accident because of it. To help to get a better idea on how effective different state’s GDL programs are, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently analyzed each state’s laws and its rate for teen car accident. Conclusions drawn illustrate that our state could see a near 50 percent reduction in the number of teen car accidents in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere if lawmakers were to just beef up our GDL laws, according to The Examiner.

Yet Florida is also one of the last states in the nation without a law against text messaging — another factor that puts pedestrians and bicyclists at high risk for a summer accident in Broward County and throughout South Florida.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day our teens face some of the highest risks for car accidents. In fact, summer has come to be known as the 100 Deadliest Days because of it. Twenty-one of the top 25 deadliest days occur during the summer months. Drivers between the ages of 15- and 19-years old are most at risk for a fatal accident during this time.

Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys understand that there are about 3,000 teenagers who are killed in accidents every year. Another 350,000 of these young motorists are injured.

Drunk driving is a big problem when it comes to these young drivers even though they’re not old enough to legally consume alcohol. Drunk driving-related accidents have taken the lives of more teens than AIDS, heart disease and cancer combined.

Lucky for us, there are things that parents can do to help keep their teen from becoming a statistics. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is stepping in with its “Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence” program and is offering a few simple safety tips that parents and guardians are urged to go over with the teen drivers in their lives to help to keep them safe on our roadways.

Teen Safe Driving Tips:

-Make sure that teens are buckled in every time they get into a vehicle, whether they’re the driver or the passenger.

-Prohibit the use of all electronics behind the wheel. Florida’s law doesn’t do this for young drivers, make sure you do.

-Limit their time behind the wheel during the evening hours. Florida’s GDL law restricts teen drivers from driving during the late-evening and early-morning hours, but you can help to keep them safe by enacting even stricter household laws.

-Limit the number of passengers in your teen’s vehicle. Florida doesn’t limit this number for teenage drivers. More teens in the car mean higher risks for an accident.

-Never drink and drive!

-Abide by all posted speed limits, street signs and street laws.

-Make sure your mind is right. Avoid driving while drowsy, angry, sad or sleepy. more If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a traffic accident in Broward County or in any of the surrounding areas, contact Fort Lauderdale Accident Lawyer Richard Ansara. Call (954) 761-401 to schedule an appointment to discuss your rights.

More Blog Entries: Accidents in Fort Lauderdale Likely with Interstate 595 Construction, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, April 25, 2012 Road Design Causing Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents in Broward and Miami-Dade, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, February 26, 2012