Personal Injury Blog

Pasco County Auto Accident Attorneys Look At Proposed Legislation For Teen Drivers

As Brooksville auto accident attorneys, we’ve alluded here at the blog about the dangers associated with teen driving.  Now we’re going to take a look at one of the most important attempts being made to create more stringent rules for teen drivers.  Because the adolescent brain is not fully formed (the frontal lobe – the decision-making and insight part of the brain – doesn’t fully connect until around the mid-20’s) teens are more prone to making poor decisions.  

Being Spring Hill motorcycle and car accident lawyers, we know that teen drivers account for a large portion of accidents on our roads and highways and automobile and motorcycle accidents are the leading killer of teens here in the U.S.  Of those car wrecks, 40 percent involved alcohol.  Those are eye-opening statistics.  

Introduced in the Senate in March, 2011, by NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the STANDUP Act would establish minimum federal requirements for state GDL (graduated driver’s license) laws and encourage all states to adopt GDL laws that meet those minimum requirements within 3 years.  Senator Gillibrand was inspired to create the legislation because she is a mother.

 

Standup Teenage Driver Act

As you might have guessed, STANDUP ACT is an acronym.  What it means:

  • States must meet the following requirements under the STANDUP Act:
  • Three stages of licensing – learner’s permit, intermediate stage, and full licensure – should be used
  • Age 16 should be the earliest age for entry into the learner’s permit process
  • Nighttime driving while unsupervised should be restricted during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages, until full licensure at age 18
  • Driving while using communication devices (cell phone calls, texting) should be prohibited at least until full licensure at age 18
  • Unrestricted, full licensure should occur no earlier than age 18
  • Passengers should be restricted – no more than one non-familial passenger under age 21 unless a licensed driver over age 21 is in the vehicle – until full licensure at age 18
  • Any other requirement adopted by the Secretary of Transportation, such as a minimum duration of 6 months and a minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving for a learner’s permit, may be included
  • Compliance with the requirements within the first three years after enactment will make states eligible for incentive grants
  • Three years are provided for states to meet the requirements, after which sanctions are imposed to encourage states to meet the requirements

The bill is steadily making its way through government channels.  While its intentions are good, no one knows for sure whether the legislation will ultimately pass.  Whatever your stand on the proposed law is, the auto accident and DUI accident lawyers at Lowman Law Firm encourage you to consider statistics about teen driving.  

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