The Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (“IIHS”) recently published an article which
outlines the best way for every state to decrease the number of car accidents
and traffic fatalities. The IIHS looked at the 5 best graduated driving laws for
teen drivers in each state, and concluded that if combined, it would provide
the maximum amount of driving safety. Below are those 5 different laws that
would best promote teen driver safety:
1. Minimum
intermediate license age of 17; 2. A minimum permit age of 16; 3. At least 65 supervised practice hours for
new drivers; 4. During
the intermediate stage, a night driving restriction starting at 8 p.m; and 5. Ban
on all teen passengers.
Graduated licensing
enables new teen drivers to gradually build up driving experience as they
mature and develop on-the-road skills. The system has three stages: a
supervised learner’s period, an intermediate license (after passing a road
test) that limits driving in high-risk situations except under supervision, and
a license with full privileges. Teens with learner permits should get lots of
supervised driving practice, and once they have intermediate licenses they
should be subject to limits on night driving and teen passengers. The longer
the restrictions last the better. The IIHS’s research has shown that
states with the strongest laws enjoy the biggest reductions in fatal car crashes
among 15-17-year-old drivers and the biggest reductions in collisions reported
to insurers among 16-17-year-old drivers, compared with states with weak laws.
This is excellent data
provided by the IIHS and provides meaningful solutions that could lead to less
car accidents on the road. The problem is convincing legislatures in each state
to adopt all of these measures. None of the 5 restrictions listed above have
been adopted by a single state. What if the federal government intervened. I
can almost guarantee you that if the federal government promised and/or withheld
federal highway funding based on states adopting these laws, it would dramatically
effect whether this could be done. The same approach was taken when Bill
Clinton was in office 15-20 years ago with drunk driving laws. The federal
government withheld highway construction funding to states until states lowered
blood alcohol content (BAC) laws to .08. States did not receive funding from
the federal government until they lowered BAC requirements to .08. Maybe the
same approach could be used for teen driving requirements.
If you or someone you
love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then
call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at
312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago. com.