In 2008, the Connecticut Legislature passed laws that were meant to reduce teenage driver accidents throughout the state.
The restrictions on teenage drivers include:
- A curfew, which forbids drivers under 18-years-old to drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless required to for school, medical needs, religion or work.
- Graduated license restrictions. Once a teenager obtains his or her license, only parents, legal guardians and driving instructors are allowed to ride with him/her for the first six months. Only immediate family members may ride with the teenager for the following six months.
- Cell phone ban. Drivers under the age of 18 may not use cell phones while driving, including hands-free cell phones.
Teenagers who violate these restrictions can face administrative penalties, including up to six months’ license suspension.
Recent research by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) shows that these restrictions have been effective in preventing Connecticut car accidents involving teenagers. Between 2007 and 2009, auto accidents involving 16- and 17-year old drivers decreased by 28 percent.
Teenage Driving Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents remain the leading cause of death among teenagers in the U.S. In fact, more than one out of every three teenage deaths is caused by a fatal car accident. In 2009 alone, nearly 3,000 teenagers were killed and more than 350,000 were injured in auto accidents.
Teenage drivers are four times more likely than adults to be involved into a car accident. They are new drivers, learning the rules. However, teens also tend to underestimate dangerous situations on the road, use cell phones, speed, tailgate other drivers, drink and drive, “forget” to wear a seatbelt and engage in other risky behaviors.
That is why regulations like those in Connecticut matter. Curfews get teens off the road at a reasonable hour and prevent drunk driving, and the passenger and cell phone restrictions reduce distracted driving, forcing teenagers to concentrate on the road.
If your teenager has been involved in a car accident or you have been injured by a teenager driver, contact a Connecticut personal injury attorney near you.