Ohio Senator seeks cut down on Ohio auto accidents by changing an Ohio Driving Law
If you are a teen driver in Ohio, driving may get a little harder in the future. A new driving bill proposed by State Rep. Rick Perales, of Beavercreek aims to improve the safety of teen drivers and reduce the number of Ohio auto accidents. This new bill would prevent teens from driving with other teens, or non-family members under the age of 21. The bill proposes to bump the existing driving curfew back two hours to 10 PM. Curfew exemptions would be made for teens participating in work and school activities.
Currently, Ohio already has strict driving laws for teens. Ohio uses a graduated system based on age. 16-year-old drivers can drive with one unrelated passenger without an adult present. 16-year-old drivers can stay out until midnight. 17-year-old drivers can stay out until 1 AM.
The proposed Ohio Driving laws hope to further reduce teen deaths and injuries in Ohio.
National Teen Crash Statistics
According to data collected by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, fatal car crashes were the leading cause of death for teens aged 13-19 in 2010. 3,115 teens died nation-wide in 2010, which was a 10 percent drop from 2009. 16-year-old drivers have the highest crash rate of any other age. 54 percent of teens killed in Ohio auto accidents were not wearing a seat belt. According to data collected by the Governor’s Safety Highway Administration, teen fatalities have dropped by 69 percent nationwide since 1995 [http://www.ghsa.org/html/publications/pdf/spotlights/spotlight_teens11.pdf September 2011].
Ohio’s Teen Driving Crash Statistics
Ohio teen driving statistics from 2008 and 2009 show that increased driving laws is reducing the number of teen crashes and deaths. In 2008, 81 teens aged 16-20 were killed in car accidents and 11,582 were injured. In 2009, 16,761 teens were injured in Ohio car accidents. 118 teens were killed in 2009. Only 33 percent of teens killed were wearing their seat belts. 83 percent of teens who survived their injuries were wearing seat belts.
Studies Show Restricted Teen Driving Leads to Fewer Fatalities
A 2007 study on graduated licensing laws published in the Journal of Safety Research
showed that graduated licensing laws are associated with a 30 percent lower fatal crash rate for drivers between the ages of 15 and 17. Another study from the National Institute of Health Crash conducted in 2011, also showed a decrease in teen driving-related deaths as a result of graduated teen driving laws [http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2011/nichd-04.htm November 2011]. Crash statistics from the Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 1975 to 2011 show a decrease in teen accidents by 65 percent. According to the IIHS, Ohio crash numbers could be lowered by 39 percent if the recommended restrictions are adopted.
This entry was posted in Wright & Schulte News. Bookmark the permalink.
←More Ohio Child ATV Accidents and Injuries Caused by No Helmets and Multiple Riders
Ohio Auto Accident Involving State Highway Patrol Vehicle States Failure to Yield as Cause →
