GDL Contributes to Drop in California Teen Driver Accident Rates

According to new statistics released by the Automobile Club of Southern California, teenage drivers in California are now much safer since the state’s strict Graduated Driver’s Licensing program requirements went into effect.

Since the laws went into effect in 1998, there has been a substantial reduction in accident as well as fatality rates involving teen drivers in California. According to the statistics, the accident rate involving teenagers of 16 years of age has dropped by as much as 68%, and among 17-year-old drivers, the rate has dropped by 51%.

Even more impressive is the data indicating that in 2010, approximately 8,000, 16 and 17-year-old drivers in California were either killed or injured in a car accident. Compare this to the 18,000 fatalities that were recorded in the year before the Graduated Driver’s Licensing Program laws went into effect.

It’s very clear to Thousand Oaks car accident lawyers that these tough Graduated Driver’s Licensing laws have played a prominent role in helping reduce teen accident rates. All 50 states have some form of novice driver rules in place for teenage drivers, but California’s laws are definitely stricter. They require more hours of supervised driving, and place more restrictions on nighttime driving and driving with teenage passengers in the car.

It is also likely that other factors like increased auto safety features have contributed to a reduction in the teen driver fatality rate in California. For instance, many parents prefer to buy more expensive cars that come with extra safety features as the first vehicle for their teen driver. Cars that come with side airbag systems, electronic stability control systems, and other gadgetry help reduce the risk of injuries in an accident.