Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on June 11, 2015
Risk of Car Accidents Higher for Recently Licensed Drivers
Despite passing exams designed to test their ability to safely operate motor vehicles in common traffic scenarios, newly licensed drivers have a higher risk of being involved in car accidents than drivers with more experience under their belts.
A report by Claims Journal states that all new drivers, regardless of their age, are at the highest risk of car accidents immediately after receiving their licenses, and those crashes are primarily caused by inexperience behind the wheel and an overall lack of driving skills.
The report goes on to say that teenage drivers in the United States are particularly vulnerable, as automobile accidents are the number one cause of death for people in that age bracket.
The study, which was published in a scientific journal called Injury Prevention, used more than one decade of research on the causes of car crashes involving young or newly licensed drivers as well as five years of research data gathered from testing newly licensed drivers in simulations.
After testing, researchers concluded that three of the most common types of car accidents for new drivers included left turns, rear-end crashes, and running off the road.
Matt Hardin Law’s team of Nashville car accident lawyers knows that new drivers are often at a much higher risk on the road than more experienced drivers, and that’s why new drivers should always learn to be as cautious and alert as possible behind the wheel.
What Are the Most Important Safety Tips for New Drivers?
The first day, week, month, and year that a new driver uses his or her newfound freedom is a critical time period. Not only is it a time period when they’re most vulnerable, but it’s also a time period when they will develop habits that they’ll maintain for the rest of their lives.
Some of the most important habits new drivers should try to develop during this time period include:
Seatbelts are by far the most important safety features in vehicles and are often the difference between life and death during car accidents. The best way new drivers can protect themselves on the road is by always wearing a seatbelt, and the easiest to make sure that happens is to get into the habit of buckling up every time they get in the car. Parents can start teaching their children at a young age to always buckle up as passengers, and the habit will carry over when they start driving.
Because new drivers are less experienced, they need more time to process things that are happening on the roadway, including the behavior of other drivers. Speeding reduces the amount of time that they have to make quick decisions during potentially dangerous moments. By driving at or below the speed limit, new drivers have more time to acclimate themselves to their surroundings and more time to react to the ebbs and flow of traffic.
Aside from seatbelts, mirrors and headlights are two of the most important components on modern vehicles. Mirrors are vital for everything from backing up in a parking lot to changing lanes in traffic, while headlights make vehicles more visible during the daytime and at night and provide illumination on dark roads. New drivers should get into the habit of always using their mirrors and lights every time they drive—even during daylight hours.
These are just of the safety tips that new drivers should take to heart when they first set out on the roadway. Driving is a privilege that requires full concentration and alertness, but new drivers can quickly become adept at handling the challenges of the roadway by always following traffic laws and never driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
If a newly licensed driver in your family was injured by a negligent person’s behavior on the roadway, you may be eligible to receive money for his or her medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Get in touch with the experienced and dedicated Nashville car accident attorneys at Matt Hardin Law today. Just dial (615) 200-1111 or fill out a quick and easy online consultation form.
