Atlanta Teen Driver Car Accident Lawyers
Being involved in a car wreck could be an overwhelming and traumatizing experience. Afterward, a person may face a stack of medical bills but be unable to return to work while recovering from an injury. However, if a crash was caused by someone else’s negligence, an injured individual has a right to seek compensation by filing an injury claim. Unfortunately, this process is often complicated if the other driver is a teenager.
If you were involved in a car crash with a novice or teenage driver, you may benefit from contacting an Atlanta teen driver car accident lawyer. Despite the nuances of the legal system, a persistent and well-versed car accident attorney could work tirelessly to investigate the circumstances that led to your injuries and request appropriate compensation.
Atlanta’s Age Requirements for Drivers
A novice driver is someone between the ages of 15 and 18. In Atlanta, a person is eligible to start driving at age 16. They may begin driving at 15, however, but with certain restrictions; first, they must obtain a learner’s permit and take a driver’s education course before they are eligible to drive. There are no exceptions for a person to begin driving before the age of 15.
Furthermore, drivers between the ages of 16 and 18 are eligible to receive an intermediate license — known as a Class D license — for 12 months. With this specific license, however, these drivers are not allowed to be on the roads between the hours of 12 AM and 5 AM. Additionally, for the first six months with an intermediate license, they also may not have any passengers besides immediate family members.
For the subsequent six months, they may have no more than one other passenger under the age of 21 in the vehicle. After this 12 month period, they may have no more than three passengers in their vehicle. Finally, to get a permanent license, a teenage driver must have at least 40 hours of supervised driving under their belt, including at least six hours of night driving. Unfortunately, despite these extensive requirements for teenage driving practice, accidents are still common.
How Do Crashes Happen with Teens?
Some common patterns associated with teenage driving crashes in Atlanta include a failure to yield, driving too fast for the conditions of the road, running off the road, over-correcting for a turn, and slipping or otherwise losing control of the vehicle. Additionally, distractions, lack of experience, and nerves may also contribute to wrecks and collisions. Teenagers may be texting or otherwise using their phone behind the wheel. Essentially, teens are more likely than other drivers to be involved in automobile accidents and wrecks because of their general lack of experience and potential for being inattentive behind the wheel.
How Parents Could Help Teenage Drivers
As preparation for involvement in a car accident, a parent should tell their teenage child to make sure that they are safe, that everyone in the vehicle is safe, and to call law enforcement and medical professionals if needed.
Steps that parents could take to help prevent their teens from becoming involved in a car accident are making sure they abide by all the laws that govern license requirements and driving with them as much as they are able to make sure that they are safe drivers and have been properly trained.
How the Family Purpose Doctrine May Affect a Claim
Legally, an injury claim for a car wreck injury will play out differently than regular cases when the driver is under the age of 18. This is because there is a doctrine called The Family Purpose Doctrine in Georgia. In essence, this doctrine makes it possible for an injured individual to sue the parents of a driver when they are under the age of 18.
This is because, often, a parent will have provided the vehicle for their child to drive, thus placing legal liability on themselves. This means that, while a claimant may not be able to pursue the teenage driver directly for damages, they still have a chance to recover the compensation they need. Furthermore, any specific laws associated with teenage driving do not affect an insurance claim that an injured driver may wish to pursue. For more information about car collision claims, call an Atlanta teen driver car accident lawyer.
Retain the Services of an Atlanta Teen Driver Car Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in a car crash with an underage or novice driver, you may feel as though you have no way of seeking compensation. However, you may benefit from speaking with a knowledgeable Atlanta teen driver car accident lawyer about your legal options.
A practiced and meticulous attorney could work to investigate the circumstances of a crash, interview witnesses, and gather sufficient evidence in order to demonstrate negligence. To start working on your claim, call a legal professional today.
