Teenage drivers cause a high percentage of accidents, and many of them result in injuries and even death. Inexperience is one of the main causes of crashes, and there are some strategies that experts recommend to improve their skills.
One strategy that almost all states have implemented is the use of graduated driver licensing programs.
Teenage drivers and accident risk
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers under the age of 20 are in accidents four times more than those 20 years of age and older are. Some factors involved with accidents are speeding, driver error, night driving, alcohol use and the presence of passengers.
GDL details
To help counteract the risks involved with teenage drivers, all states have some type of graduated driver licensing program, and their use drastically reduces the number of crashes. According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, the GDL program for the state is the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act.
This program begins with the instructional permit, which has a minimum age of 15. This permit allows the teen to drive only when there is a person 21 years of age or older in the passenger seat. After holding the permit for one year and one day, and after passing the driving test, the next step is the class D license.
This provisional license allows the teen to drive alone in the car with certain restrictions. These include:
- No driving between the hours of midnight and 5 AM
- Only immediate family members are passengers during the first six months
- Only one person under the age of 21 as a passenger during the second six months
- Only three passengers under the age of 21 after one year with the license
At the age of 18, the teenager may apply for a class C license, which is the regular license.
