Driver Training Program to Prevent Teen Accidents

It is safe to assume that most parents would take advantage of any program that promised to reduce teen car accidents by up to 50 percent. According to officials from NJM Insurance, “Share the Keys” is a 60 to 90-minute interactive driving program for parents and their teen drivers. By encouraging increased parental involvement, the program is designed to dramatically reduce car accidents involving teen drivers.

Based on research conducted by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Center for Injury Research and Prevention, teens are 50 percent less likely to be involved in a car wreck if their parents establish a clear set of rules about driving activities and are supportive and eager to help them get as much supervised experience behind the wheel as possible. The current governor of New Jersey previously vetoed similar legislation, even though the program gave parents the opportunity to take the course online. However, safety advocates and others who support the “Share the Keys” program have found other ways to persuade parents and encourage them to participate.

Considering the fact that car accidents are responsible for more teen fatalities than any disease, many schools have been able to persuade parents to attend programs like “Share the Keys,” which offer valuable information about how to prevent these crashes. After discussing the issue for nearly two years, AAA, the Teen Safe Driving Coalition, teachers’ groups, and Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) announced that they would provide the funding necessary to offer the “Share the Keys” program to any school that is interested in participating.

Benefits of “Share the Keys” Program

For most parents of teens, the last time they had to participate in any kind of driving program was likely 20 or more years ago when they were getting their license. By participating in a program like “Share the Keys,” it provides valuable, current information that can help protect their teen driver, including the following:

• The graduated driver license law (GDL) restricts teen drivers to driving with only one passenger unless an adult is present. The GDL law also imposes an 11:00 p.m. curfew on teen drivers.
• The program recommends reputable, licensed driving schools.
• It offers advice about how to choose the right car for a teen. Steer clear of high-performance vehicles, SUVs, and vans.
• Inexperience is the main cause of teen accidents, so it is important to log as many practice hours as possible.
• Written driving agreements, or contracts, that address things like seat belt use, curfews, speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, and other potentially dangerous behavior should be reviewed as a family and signed by both parents and teens.

To encourage participation in “Share the Keys,” safety advocates have suggested some incentives, including discounts on insurance premiums. Some schools will not provide parking permits to teen drivers unless they, along with their parents, have participated in the program.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Teen Car Accidents

If you have been injured in a car accident involving a teen driver, contact the Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton as soon as possible. We will fight to secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve while ensuring that your legal rights are protected. To set up a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.