On the night of her senior prom in 2007, 17-year-old Lacey Gallagher was in a car crash with six other teens. Lacey lost her life that night and all of her friends were injured. None of them were wearing seatbelts.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that:
- Teens have the highest number of car crashes of any group in the nation
- Teen drivers are 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month they drive than they are after 12 months of driving experience
- Requiring teens to practice driving more reduces the number of teen car crashes
- Limiting the number of passengers in vehicles driven by teens helps prevent teen car crashes
Lawmakers in Pennsylvania recently started enforcing a new teen driver law - known as Lacey's Law - in an effort to save the lives of the state's most inexperienced drivers: its teenagers. The law change affects those teens who have not yet obtained learner's permits, as well that those who have yet to take the state road test, regardless of how long they've had a learner's permit.
Any teen wishing to drive in Pennsylvania must first obtain a learner's permit. Upon fulfilling certain requirements, the teen can apply for a junior driver's license which limits the number of passengers and hours the teen may drive. If the holder of a junior license carrier holds his or her junior license for a year, completes required classroom and behind-the-wheel training, does not violate any vehicle laws and has not been involved in an auto accident for which he or she is wholly or partially at fault, the teen can apply for a senior license.
The new laws, which took effect as of midnight on December 27, 2011, affect teens in the following way:
- In order to obtain a junior license, teens must complete 65 hours of behind-the-wheel training - 10 which must be after dark and five during inclement weather.
- Teens with junior licenses may have only one unrelated person in the car with them under the age of 18, unless a parent is also along for the ride.
- After six months with a clean driving record, a junior license holder may transport up to three underage passengers without a parent in the vehicle.
- Failing to wear a seat belt is a primary offense - meaning a police officer may pull over a car with an unbelted driver or passenger for no other reason than that he or she noticed a seatbelt is not in use.
Automobile accidents are awful, no matter the age of the driver or passengers. If you are injured in a car crash, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and loss of wages. Seek the advice of a lawyer experienced with car crashes and personal injury law to find out if you are entitled to damages for your losses.
