National Teen Driver Safety Week and Florida's Graduated License Program
National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 17 to 24. NHTSA advises all teen drivers to pay attention and put down cell phones while driving.

October 16, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The week of October 17 to 24, 2010, is National Teen Driver Safety Week, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a message for all teen drivers: "Keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and both (hands and eyes) away from your cell phone while driving."

In America, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teens 15- to 20-years-old. According to NHTSA, fatal accidents involve three times as many teen drivers as all other drivers, mile for mile.

NHTSA reports research that shows the behaviors that contribute to many teen driving accidents. Those behaviors, combined with inexperience and immaturity, are:
- Drinking and driving
- Speeding
- Distracted driving (cell phones, talking with passengers, loud music)
- Driving at night
- Drowsy driving
- Not wearing a seat belt

In an effort to keep teen drivers safe, NHTSA has developed a strategy:
- Increasing seat belt use
- Reducing teens' access to alcohol
- Implementation of a graduated licensing program by states

Florida's Graduated Licensing Program

With one of the first graduated license programs in the country, Florida is ahead of the curve in emphasizing teen driver safety. Implemented in 1996, Florida's graduated teen licensing program is three-tiered:
- Learner's License
- Intermediate License
- Full License

Learner's License -- can be obtained at age, allows a new driver to drive during daylight hours for the first three months, then until 10 p.m. for the remainder of the year. With a Learner's License, a teen is only allowed to drive with a licensed driver 21-years-old or older in the passenger's seat.

Intermediate License -- is available to those at least age 16 and who held a Learner's License for at least a year without committing a traffic infraction. Unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21-years-old or older or traveling to or from work, an Intermediate License restricts the hours available for a teen to drive; drivers who are16-years-old can drive between 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and drivers who are17-years-old can drive between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m.

The last step is achieving full driving privileges at age 18.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles notes that there are several ways that a teen can lose or have their driving privileges restricted, including:
- School truancy
- Conviction for possession of tobacco products (for those under 18-years-old)
- Citation for any moving violation while possessing a Learner's License
- Citation for six or more points within 12 months
- Positive test for blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.02 percent or greater (for those under 21-years-old)

With National Teen Driver Safety Week upon us it is important for all drivers -- whether a teen driver, a parent of a teen driver or an experienced driver -- to review and practice safe driving habits. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, speak with an experienced car accident attorney to learn about your rights.

Press Release Contact Information:

Findlaw PR