Law Offices of Kyle Peiter, PLLC
N/aCopyright © 2020 Law Offices of Kyle Peiter, PLLC. All rights reserved.
Vehicle crashes involving adolescent motorists are unfortunately common. When the claimant is a teenager, defendants often try to point the blame onto the novice driver.
Therefore, if your child was harmed in an accident caused by another motorist, you should contact a Murfreesboro teen driver accident lawyer. A well-practiced injury attorney could review your cause and provide trustworthy advice on how to proceed with your civil claim.
In Murfreesboro, a person is eligible to start driving when they are 15 years old. However, there are some circumstances where people who are 14 years old can apply, such as if they have a family hardship that requires them to provide their own transportation. Tennessee follows a graduated system where novice drivers receive more privileges as they gain experience and age.
After a teen driver obtains a learner’s permit, they need to complete a supervised behind the wheel training. They are required to complete 50 hours of driver practice with at least 10 hours of night driving.
Once they have completed the behind the wheel requirements and have had their learner’s permit for at least 180 days or about half year, they can apply for an intermediate license. This is still a restricted license, but with fewer restrictions. They must pass a Learner’s Knowledge Exam in order to obtain a learner’s class driver’s license and as well as a vision test. These tests are supervised by the state.
Once they are 17 years old, and have completed a road driving test, they can obtain an intermediate unrestricted driver’s license. This means their driver’s restrictions are lifted, such as the requirement to drive supervised, so long as they are driving for less than an hour.
Novice drivers who are 18 years and older can receive a regular class D driver’s license. Tennessee does not require people to take a driver’s education course, however it can be highly beneficial and is not offered online.
Adolescent and novice drivers are more likely to be involved in a vehicle accidents than other drivers because of their inexperience behind the wheel. When they do not have much experience driving, they may be unable to avoid dangerous situations. For example, a novice driver may not take an extra second before making a left turn at an intersection just in case someone runs the red light. New drivers expect other motorists to behave within the rules of the road, but a lot of times that is not the case. Teen drivers may also drive too fast for the weather conditions, be unfamiliar with the vehicle’s mechanics, or flee the scene of an accident.
Teenagers are also commonly involved in car accidents due to driver fatigue. Adolescents may commute between school, work, and extracurriculars. As they often have busy schedules, they can become fatigued which unfortunately leads to vehicle collisions.
Teenagers are also easily distracted when operating a vehicle. They may have rowdy passengers or try to send a quick text while driving. Not only is cell phone use illegal for teen drivers in Murfreesboro, texting while driving can make it difficult for an attorney to build a claim because of comparative liability.
Additional risks associated with adolescent driving is teens might forget to take important safety precautions. Safety precautions include keeping their car well maintained, maintaining a safe distance behind other drivers, and wearing their seatbelts. Failing to take these precautions could result in catastrophic injuries or even death.
If the teenager is at fault for a vehicle collision, then for insurance claims, the parent’s premiums are going to increase. Premiums are already high on teenagers because they are considered inexperienced drivers. Additionally, if they are involved in a wreck and considered at fault, then usually that means that they were doing something that was risky. Therefore, not only does the child’s insurance go up but the holder of the insurance policy will see their payments increase as well.
However, that is not always the case. If the adolescent driver was involved in a wreck caused by another negligent motorist, there are laws out there that protect adolescent drivers to make sure that insurance companies just don’t raise their premium substantially. It could be beneficial for a claimant to speak with an attorney in Murfreesboro if their premium was excessively raised after their teenage driver was harmed in a wreck caused by another motorist.
Vehicle wrecks involving adolescent motorists can be devastating, as they often result in severe harm and fatalities. If your child was hurt in an accident caused by another negligent motorist, you may benefit from contacting a compassionate legal representative.
A Murfreesboro teen driver accident lawyer could guide you through the litigation process and ensure your rights are protected. Do not wait. Call today to schedule your initial consultation.
Law Offices of Kyle Peiter, PLLC
N/aCopyright © 2020 Law Offices of Kyle Peiter, PLLC. All rights reserved.