Georgia Personal Injury Law Blog : Atlanta Georgia Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Jason R. Schultz Law Firm : Wrongful Death, Malpractice, Car Accidents : Georgia

As an Atlanta auto accident lawyer and the father of children who will soon join the ranks of young motorists on the road, I am particularly interested in issues of teen motorist safety. A new report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assures me that my concerns are not unfounded.

According to the report released last month, young drivers are involved in fatal accidents at rates that are disproportionate to their share of the motorist population. While these drivers made up 9 percent of the national population as of 2007, they constituted 19 percent of traffic deaths in the country. Among the most important findings of the study was that fatalities in accidents involving young motorists aged between 15 and 20, make up one-fifth of all traffic accident deaths in the US.

Nationwide, about 2/3^rd of people killed in fatal accidents involving young drivers were either the motorists or their passengers. Out of these passengers, 67 percent were the same age group as the motorist.

As I drilled down into accident fatality data for Georgia, I found that:

• Young drivers accounted for 120 fatalities in 2007. Their passengers accounted for a total of 95 fatalities. Out of this, 7 were below 15 years of age, 70 were between 15 and 20 years, and 18 passengers were more than 20 years old.
• Occupants of the other vehicles made up 74 fatalities
• Non occupants accounted for 11 deaths in these accidents.
• Overall in Georgia, 300 people were killed in young driver related accidents in 2007.

I have blogged in the past about the high rates of accident deaths on Georgia’s rural roads compared to its urban areas.  The NHTSA report shows that this difference exists even where teen accidents are concerned. Nationwide, 56 percent of all fatal accidents involving young drivers occur on rural roads. These drivers accounted for 57 percent of nationwide fatality rates.  This statistic is likely due to poorly maintained and designed rural roads, as well as speeding and drunk driving.

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As an Atlanta personal injury lawyer and parent, I try to follow any new developments on issues facing teen motorists and their parents. A new study shows that teen motorists who own their cars have a higher risk of accidents than those who have to share their car with others.

The study, conducted by experts at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, revealed other disturbing facts. The teenage children of parents who are generally uninvolved with their driving habits are at greater risk than those who stay informed about their teen’s whereabouts.

According to the study data, 25 percent of teen motorists who didn’t have to share their car with others were involved in accidents, while only 10 percent of teen motorists who had to share their car were involved in an accident.  So, why does owning a car increase the risk of accidents so significantly for teen motorists? Researchers believe it’s because they feel “entitled” to their own car, and thus making them less careful while driving. As an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, and former teenager, I have have to agree. Driving is not a right, but a privilege. A teen who owns a car is more likely to feel no real obligation or responsibility to another that accompanies its use.  On the other hand, sharing a car generally entails asking parents for the keys. Parents are then more likely to be aware of driving habits and their teen's whereabouts.

The statistics are certainly disturbing. Each year, more than 5,000 people die in accidents involving teen motorists. Roughly 3,000 of those fatalities are teen drivers.  In fact,motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death for American teenagers.  It is nice to know that there is something we, as parents, can do to reduce risks that our teen drivers face. Parents can and must get more involved in order to reduce these terrible tragedies.  Tracking devices are a great option to help in making teens accountable.

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Earlier this year, I discussed efforts being made by Peachtree City Representative Matt Ramsey to ban cell phone use by teen motorists to stem the accident rate among members of this age group. On March 12^th, the House voted for Rep. Ramsey's bill 138-34, marking a tougher approach to teen cell phone use behind the wheel.

The bill which now goes to the Senate, threatens drivers under the age of 18 who continue to text message or talk on their cell phones with fines or even a license suspension. The only exceptions that teen motorists will be able to claim is in the event of a lifesaving call in an emergency, or a call to report a traffic or road hazard. The bill doesn't just extend to cell phones; it also includes computers and other electronic communication devices. A first offense according to the bill, will result in a fine of $100, and if motorists are found to have been using an electronic communication device during a car accident, they could face a 90-day suspension of their license. A repeat offense will result in a license suspension for six months. Those are stiff penalties, and should prove to be a deterrent to many teen drivers who can't seem to hang up.

Teen accident rates due to cell phone distractions don’t normally receive the kind of attention they deserve, although Georgia car accident lawyers have been vocal about the problem for a while now.  These motorists are inexperienced and are more likely to take road safety for granted. In recent weeks, however, the issue has received some media coverage. NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Reed Sorenson and Kasey Kahne have combined with Allstate to educate teen drivers around the country about the dangers of cell phone use behind the wheel. The two are making stops around the country, including a visit to Smyrna, Georgia, visiting high schools and making parents and students sign contracts that will regulate teen driving behavior.

Tackling the teen driver cell phone use problem will require the cooperation of parents, teachers and the larger community to educate teen motorists about the dangers they expose themselves and others to when they use their cell phone while driving.  Initiatives like those of Sorenson and Reed can help reach out to teen drivers and get them to think twice before reaching for the cell phone in the car again.

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