Teen Driver Education Grant Renewed
The latest in a series of Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants has been renewed, according to a press release from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The campaign funded by this grant will be directed toward promoting safe teen driving. The monies from the grant will help the agency provide new young drivers the “keys” to safe driving behaviors.
The Teens are a Dangerous Driving Age
Motor vehicle accidents are the primary cause of death for teenagers in our country. During the first two years that a teen has his or her license, the risk of being involved in a crash is the highest. The renewed CHP grant, which is called the Start Smart Teen Driver Safety Education Program XIV, will aim to assist inexperienced drivers in becoming aware of and avoiding risky driving behaviors.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below, posted by the IIHS, discusses the high-risk teen driving years.
Start Smart CHP Course
The Start Smart course is facilitated by CHP officers and is a two-hour class that is designed to engage newly-licensed teen drivers and their parents in honest conversations regarding the following topics:
- The dangers of speeding
- Crash avoidance techniques
- The dangers of distracted driving
- The dangers and legal consequences of impaired driving
The Great Responsibility of Driving
The Start Smart course has been created to help new drivers develop safe driving behaviors early in their driving experiences, according to the CHP Commissioner. The curriculum of the course is aimed at reinforcing the fact that driving is a privilege and one that comes with great responsibility.
How to Enroll in the Start Smart Course
Teens and their parents or guardians can register for a Start Smart course through their local area CHP office. There is also a free Start Smart mobile app that has more information on the classes as well as our state’s provisional license law. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and it will also include access to the California Driver Handbook. Another feature within the app is a trip log that can be used to track driving time during the months that the teen has a learner’s permit and is preparing to get their driver’s license.
Teen Driving Statistics in California
Why is it so important to teach safe teen driving behaviors? Here are some sobering statistics from the CHP:
- Traffic accidents are the top cause of death for teens aged 16-19.
- In approximately 66 percent of fatal accidents involving a teen driver, the teen is determined to be at fault.
- The crash risk of a teen driver is four times that of a driver with more experience. The crash risk is highest during the first two years of obtaining a driver’s license.
California Teen Driver Laws
California operates under a program called Graduated Driver’s License (GDL), which has the following elements:
- To obtain a learner’s permit, one must be 15 years and six months old.
- The teen must complete 50 driving hours, and 10 of those must be at night, over the six months they have their learner’s permit in order to obtain their limited license at age 16.
Until the age of 17, when a full, unrestricted license can be obtained, the following rules apply:
- No driving unsupervised between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Those hours are when the risk of a crash is highest.
- No passengers under the age of 20, unless there is also a licensed driver over the age of 25 in the vehicle.
Oroville Personal Injury Lawyer
Hi – I’m Ed Smith, an Oroville personal injury lawyer. Thanks for reading our piece on the CHP’s efforts to promote safe teen driving. If you have suffered injuries in an automobile accident caused by a negligent driver, our team of skilled injury attorneys can help. Call us at (530) 392-9400, or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly legal advice.
Photo: by Sammie Chaffin via Unsplash
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