home
about us
affiliate
driving record information
Posts Tagged ‘teen drivers’
Graduated Driver’s License Law Receiving Great Attention to Combat Recent Tragedy
December 11, 2011 | 
Author When teen drivers are seeking their privilege to get on the road, they aren’t really thinking of the many dangers that they are taking on before them. Getting their license is all they think about, and the laws and rules are often the last thing on their minds. However, there are laws that are imposed on teen drivers that are much stricter than those for adults, ensuring that the many factors of teen driving mistakes and irresponsibility are taken into account before they are permitted to drive.
In New Jersey, there is a law mandating that all teen drivers under the age of 18 are only permitted to drive when there is no more than one passenger within the vehicle. Why this law is important is because teen drivers are the greatest risk to the roads, and if they have many passengers, not only is their attention diverted, but they are also putting many more lives at risk.
Sadly, a 17 year old driver, Casey Brenner, with 7 passengers within the vehicle recently crashed an SUV causing the death of the driver as well as 3 other passengers. This sad tragedy has brought much attention to this significant law to prohibit driving under 18 with more than one passenger present in the vehicle.
When first obtaining a license in New Jersey, until the age of 18, a restricted license is obtained, which prohibits more than one passenger in the vehicle during operation. However, disregarding this law, the young driver became another statistic in teen driving, and another lesson as to why the Graduated Driver’s License Law is so important, and even bringing question to any gaps or issues with the law that could be allowing more and more teens to become and help create new fatalities on the roadways.
The Graduated Driver’s License Law is now getting some great attention, making sure that the story of these teens doesn’t continue, although it is becoming a struggle to maintain accordance with this law by new teens anxious to get on the road and transport their pals around.
One lesson, however, that is learned through the incident is that these laws are created for a reason, therefore should be a main consideration before getting a license and behind the wheel. For these teens, there are no second chances, but for other teens in New Jersey, and throughout the U.S. as well, the chance is now to make the right decision and ensure that they too do not become a statistic of the road.
Do You Have to Take Driver’s Ed? 4Safedrivers.com
As you approach the age to drive, you hear a lot about driver’s ed. You will even be offered classes in your high school if they are offered by your school, with other providers of the class also offering you these courses. So, are they required?
All states are different, which means that what may pertain to one state isn’t always going to fly in another state. In some cases, the rules could be completely different, while some states rules may be quite similar. Nevertheless, it is essential that you know whether or not you are required to complete driver’s ed, as it could cause a delay in receiving your license.
With some states, teen drivers are required to complete driver’s ed, while new adult drivers are able to skip the classes if they wish. With other states, both teens and adults are required to complete the required course in the state before a license is issued, and then there are some that don’t require any driver take the course as long as they complete other requirements instead.
All in all, the truth is that in many cases you don’t have to take driver’s ed, but you really want to – and if you don’t you should. There are several ways driver’s education in any state can help you greatly as you become a new driver, update your driving skills, and seek better skills. Whether you have to take the course or not, it is just much more beneficial to complete a course as it could help you get your driver’s license much quicker, help you navigate the roads much better, and help you to remain safer as you begin or continue driving.
Other Driver’s Training Resources
There are other types of training courses offered in various states, which includes driver’s training and defensive driver’s courses, which could help you to decrease points on your license, decrease your insurance rates, and even handle a ticket without having to pay or without getting points on your driving record.
All states are different; therefore, the resources they have to offer are much different from state to state. However, no matter whether it is required or not, driver’s training is essential to better driving and better safety behind the wheel. If you aren’t sure where to find these types of courses, you can look online and check with your state DMV to view any locations or find out which locations are most typical for these courses.
Whether you take driver’s ed while in school or choose to do so independently; whether you are a teenager or an adult seeking a new license; and whether or not you feel that these courses are necessary, you should always take advantage of driver’s ed in order to ensure that you are as aware and safe as you should be as you encounter your state’s traffic and must adhere to your state’s traffic and safety laws. If you are a new resident to your state, definitely get some extra training through these classes so you aren’t suffering consequences for doing things you didn’t know were against the rules.
Posted in Driving, Driving in the US, Tips | 
Tags: driver's ed, driver's training resources, teen drivers | 
No Comments »
5 Distractions that make accidents the leading cause of death for teen drivers.
One of the main goals of the 4SafeDrivers.com blog is to spread important information about safe driving tactics and ways to make all of us safer drivers. A topic I want to touch upon today is teen drivers, we have all been a teenage driver at some point in our lives, and some of us have teen drivers of our own. We have all been there.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States is still car crashes. Obviously, driver inexperience and driving habits are the main cause, but when you add distractions, than can cause a recipe for disaster.
I will list the 1st 5 distractions in this blog, keep in mind that these distractions apply to all of us, and not just teenage drivers.
Let’s talk about some of these distractions, and please, don’t read this blog if you are driving, joke.
1) Chatting with friends-Young drivers who have young passengers in the car will often be much more distracted and take their eyes off the road when talking with their friends. Many states have passed laws restricting young drivers under a certain age from having young drivers in the vehicle. For more info on these laws, check them out by states on www.4DMV.com.
2) Cell Phones-This was not an issue for most of us 10 years ago, but it is a reality for most of us, including teenage drivers, today. It is hard for most of us to put off business or personal business, whether we are in the car or not. I personally will tell callers that I am on the road and will call them back if it is not something that is of up most importance. Having a bluetooth or headset helps, but conversing is the problem at hand. Save the conversation for when you aren’t behind the wheel.
3) Texting-This in my opinion is the number one danger facing ALL drivers today. When you text, you have to take your eyes off the road, period. Being in an engaging text conversation or an argument makes your focus even more on the conversation at hand than on the road in front of you. The car works best when both hands are on the steering wheel. If you must send a text, pull over and handle it. Most states are passing laws against texting, with stiff fines for those breaking the law.
4) Food-Quite simply, eating food and drinking your soda while you are driving is a distraction. I am shocked to see how often I see people driving down the highway, driving the car with their knees or elbow, while trying to shovel food into their mouth. Munching on a candy bar is one thing, trying to enjoy a 5 course meal at 70mph is another. Put the fork down and wait until you get home. No accident is worth a few calories.
5) Tunes-With CD players, steering wheel presets, radio, and the introduction of iPods, it is much easier to get the music you want to flow through your speakers. On the other hand, it is much more distracting. Try to use some preset playlists and preset buttons on your stereo. That split second that you look away to change a CD could mean an accident.
Obviously, it is impossible to avoid these 5 distractions. At the end of the day, use common sense, and if you have teenagers who drive, tell them about these distractions and find ways to help them avoid doing these things while they are driving.
Thank You,
Alex Soltani
4SafeDrivers.com
Posted in Driving, Insurance, Tips, Vehicle Safety | Tags: 4safedrivers.com, Department of Motor Vehicles, driver's record, driving records, implied consent laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Keeping Your Driving Record Clean, Online DMV, teen drivers, Texting While Driving, zero tolerance law | No Comments »
Copyright 2011.