• 24
  • October
    2011

Like many other states in the U.S., Alabama has a graduated driver's license program. Since July 2010, the state has required those under 18 years old to follow certain steps before getting a full driver's license. Those who supported the law believed that making teens gain more driving experience in supervised situations would decrease the amount of accidents teen drivers were involved in.

However, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that instead of preventing auto accidents, graduated license requirements merely delay the age that teens get into motor vehicle accidents.

Alabama's Graduated License Requirements

Alabama allows those at least 15 years old to get a learner's license, which lets them drive as long as they are accompanied by a parent, guardian or licensed driver 21 years or older. Those who are 16 or 17 years old may get a driver's license but are not allowed to drive between midnight and 6 a.m. if they have had the license for less than six months, unless they are accompanied by an adult, are going to or from work, school or a religious event. Those who are 18 years old may apply for an unrestricted driver's license.

Study Findings

The study examined National Highway Traffic Safety Administra­tion (NHTSA) data from fatal crashes from 1986 to 2007 in­volving 16- to 19-year-olds and state laws governing driver's licenses. Overall, there were almost 132,000 fatal crashes involving drivers age 16 to 19 in the time period the study covered. Twenty percent of the crashes involved 16-year-old drivers, while 30 percent involved 18-year-old drivers.

The study's researchers found that those states with the most restrictions had 26 percent fewer crashes among 16-year-olds compared to those states with the fewest restrictions. However, those states with the most restrictions also had 12 percent more fatal crashes among 18-year-olds than states with the least amount of restrictions.

Alabama crash statistics mirror the study's findings overall. In 2010 there were more fatal accidents involving 18-year-olds than accidents involving 16-year-olds, according to the Alabama Department of Public Safety.

Researchers say that the study's results suggest that teens are simply waiting until they turn 18 before applying for a driver's license in order to avoid the graduated license requirements.

The study's findings are troublesome, as those 18 and older drive so much more and in more unsupervised situations than those under age 18 do. National studies show that 18 year-olds drive about twice as many miles as 16-year-olds do. By circumventing the graduated licensing requirements, teens have less experience-and no one monitoring them-when they get behind the wheel at age 18.

New drivers lack the experience and skill of those who have been driving for a longer period of time - no matter how old. Lack of experience increases the likelihood of accidents. If you have been involved in a car accident, seek the help of an experienced attorney who can discuss your situation with you and advise you of your options.

Source: Montgomery Advertiser, Study: Graduated driver's license laws only delaying teen accidents, Kym Klass, 24 September 2011