Teen drivers need experience and limits to stay safe on the road

Missouri continues to work toward helping reduce teen fatalities on the state’s roadways by ensuring all teen drivers receive enough training with the Graduated Driver License law. When a teen is 15 years of age and can pass the vision, road sign recognition and written tests at a Highway Patrol examination station, they are eligible for an instruction permit. They can drive with licensed drivers who are 25 or older. At 16, a driver may graduate to an intermediate license after having a permit for at least 182 days and passing the written test again if results from the first one are over a year old. They must also pass the Highway Patrol driving test. The last step in the process is to obtain an under-21 full driver’s license at age 18 or older.

National Teen Driver Safety Week is a good time to review new research published by the AAA Foundation. Over 1 million car accidents involving teen drivers occurred on the nation’s roadways during 2016, and these crashes accounted for over 3,200 fatalities.

The AAA data also shows that when teen drivers have solely teen passengers in their car, the death toll increases 51 percent, but when passengers present in the car were at least 35 years old, fatalities declined by 8 percent. It is important that teen drivers receive plenty of driving experience and that passenger age restrictions are duly enforced.

Car accidents are a continual danger on the road, and people who are involved may suddenly need to deal with life-changing circumstances. When devastating motor vehicle wrecks occur, a personal injury lawyer might be able to help by negotiating insurance settlements or by filing a lawsuit if necessary.

Source: Missouri Department of Revenue, ‘Missouri Graduated Driver License Law”