Teen Driving Safety Tips
Spring is right around the corner. Teens are gearing up for prom parties, pool parties– any excuse to hop into their cars and drive off with their friends. If you’re a parent or guardian of a teen, this can be a nerve wracking time! After all, teenagers only have a couple of years’ driving experience under their belts. Sometimes they’ve only been on the road for a few weeks! How can we keep our teens safe while they’re out on the road thinking about what party to go to next? First, look at what it takes to get a teen behind the wheel. Then we’ll look at teen driving safety tips to minimize risk on the road.
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Nevada Teen Driving
Most DMV’s have the same requirements for acquiring a learner’s permit and driver’s license. However, the rules and regulations can vary slightly from state to state. Here we break down what is needed to get a learner’s permit and a driver’s license.
Learner’s Permit
- School attendance requirement. Anyone under 18 years of age applying for a learner’s permit, must prove they meet the minimum Nevada school attendance requirement.
- The teen must submit a Certification of Attendance form 301. The form includes sections for the principal and parent or guardian to complete.
- Teens as young as 15 years old may enroll in a driver education course. Driver’s ed must be offered by a public or private high school or DMV-licensed professional driving school. Driver education is required to obtain a driver’s license, but not a driver’s permit.
- Beginning drivers can attend a classroom course and complete 50 hours of behind the wheel experience.
- New drivers can complete an online course and 50 hours of behind the wheel experience.
- Drivers can complete 100 hours of driving experience.
- Beginning drivers can obtain a learner’s permit at 15 1/2 with proof of identity and Nevada residential address.
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Driver’s License
- A driver must be 16 years old to apply for a driver’s license.
- A driver must pass a vision test with a minimum level of 20/40 in one eye. If the driver needs glasses or contacts, their license or permit will display “Restriction B”
- The written test consists of 25 multiple choice questions based on the Nevada Driver’s Handbook. Drivers must obtain a score of at least 80%.
- Beginning drivers must complete 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience.
- Beginning drivers must complete 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience.
- A licensed driver 21 years or older must sit next to the beginning driver at all times.
- Beginning drivers must complete 10 hours of experience in darkness.
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Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
Each state can have slightly different teen driving rules. Make sure to check your local GHSA website.
38 states ban any cell phone use by new drivers. Driving at night is restricted during the intermediate stage.
Teenage Driving Safety Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes. Teens don’t have the maturity to handle the same level of driving responsibility as adults. Teenage drivers are still learning how to navigate their emotions, judgments, and motor skills.
Below are some teen drivers’ statistics that show how dangerous teen drivers can be.
- 3,255 teen drivers aged 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes in 2017
- 2,526 teens killed in crashes in 2017
- 229 teens killed in distraction-affected crashes in 2017
- 58% of all passenger fatalities of 15-18-year-old passenger vehicle drivers were unrestrained in 2016.
- In 2016 almost 20% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were drinking.
Now that you know more about teen driving and some of the statistics involved, we encourage you to review the following tips with your teens. If your teen has been the victim in a car accident in the Las Vegas area, call us at (702) 857-6000. Discuss your case with our experienced car accident lawyers in a free consultation.
Teen Driving Safety Tips
Drivers who are between 16-19 are three times more likely than drivers over 20 years old to be in a car crash. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.)
Most teens are not developmentally ready to handle safe driving. They may lack the motor coordination, judgment, and focus needed to safely navigate the roads. So how do we keep them from harm’s way?
Drivers education helps. Teen drivers whose parents are highly involved in their driver education were half as likely to get into a car crash. A study by State Farm and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia showed that teens whose parents were highly involved in their driver’s education were:
- 71% less likely to drive intoxicated
- 30% less likely to use a cell phone while driving
- Twice as likely to wear seat belts
As long as you set reasonable rules and provide plenty of encouragement, you can set your teen driver up for success on the road.
Teaching Beginning Drivers Road Safety
- Practice. As soon as your teen has his or her learner’s permit, give them extra practice behind the wheel. The more time they spend practicing driving with you by their side, the more skilled they’ll be when driving without you.
- Graduated licensing program (GDL). The Centers for Disease Control recommends implementing a graduated licensing program. Teenage driving safety campaigns such as the GDL have been connected with reductions of accidents and fatal crashes among 16-year-old drivers. Objectives of the GDL include: expanding the learning process, minimizing crash risk exposure, improving driving skills, and increasing motivation for safe-driving habits.
- Provisional license. Make sure your teen adheres to Nevada’s passenger restrictions when driving. Teen drivers are not allowed to drive passengers under the age of 18 for the first six months. The only exception is for immediate family members. Drivers under 18 years old may not drive between 10 pm and 5 am unless traveling to or from a school event or work.
- Car maintenance. Teach your teen how to perform routine car maintenance. For example, learning how to check the air pressure in the tires can help your teen be more self-sufficient and safer on the road.
- No drinking or drugs. Not only is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs illegal, but it is also dangerous. Alcohol and drugs can impede your judgment, vision, color distinction, and reaction to time.
- Communication. Let your teen know when they’re doing well, but also set clear rules around their safety. Let them know the rules you implement are for their safety, not control.
- Lead by example. They may not admit it, but your teen is making note of what you do. Lead a good example by not texting while driving, always wearing a seat belt, and using a hands-free system when talking on the phone.
- RoadReady App. Teenage driving safety devices like this free app track your overall driving experience. Use the app to monitor driving conditions, set driving goals, view driving summaries, identify areas of improvement, and learn safe driving practices. You can also use the app to download your driving log.
Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers
It’s important to teach young people how to stay safe when they start driving, If you have a teen, make sure you go over ourdriving safety tips together. If your teen driver was injured by another party in the Las Vegas area, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you protect your rights. A car accident attorney can advise you if you have a valid personal injury claim. Our personal injury lawyers have over 25 years of experience at handling all types of juvenile injury cases.
If you are looking for a law firm with experienced injury attorneys, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today for a free case evaluation. Anything that you discuss with us will be protected by the attorney-client relationship. Our phone number is (702) 857-6000. We offer Free Consultations. Our law office is located in Henderson, but we work with clients all over the Las Vegas Valley.
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