Consequences Of Student Driver Crashes

Teaching a teenager how to drive during the learner permit period is a critical step to helping curb deaths and severe injuries from motor vehicle accidents. However, during this stage, those who are learning how to drive are at risk of being in or causing an accident.
The consequences of a crash involving a driver with a learner’s permit depend on the applicable law and the circumstances of the accident. Hall & Lampros, LLP provides legal assistance to those who experience learner driver crashes. Call 404-876-8100 for legal help and to learn more about your rights.
What Should Student Drivers Do if They Are in an Accident in Georgia?
In many respects, the law treats a student driver accident in much the same way as it does an accident involving other drivers. If a student driver causes or is in an accident in Georgia, he or she should report the accident to law enforcement. Georgia law requires drivers to report an accident if it results (or may result) in injury, death, or property damage of over $500. The supervising adult in the vehicle can also contact the police on behalf of the learner driver.
The student driver should comply with the legal reporting requirement to limit the potential consequences of the accident. If he or she fails to do so, he or she may be legally liable for additional penalties, such as committing a hit-and-run offense under Georgia law. The learner driver should also seek medical attention to address any underlying injuries and file an insurance claim with the company that insures the vehicle they were driving at the time of the crash.
Does a Driver with a Permit Need Insurance in Georgia?
Georgia law does not require all drivers with a learner’s permit to hold insurance. That said, some insurance policies may need a teenage driver’s parent to include him or her on the insurance policy. Because most individuals with a learner’s permit are teenagers, they may not be eligible to carry their own insurance policy.
Parents of teenagers with a learner’s permit may benefit from making sure their insurance policy covers anyone in their family with a learner’s permit. If a teenager is in an accident while he or she has a learner’s permit, the parent may be held responsible for paying damages to the others involved in the crash. Insurance can help cover this cost, thus limiting the potential financial burden on the parent. For legal help involving a Georgia car accident involving a learner driver, consider contacting the personal injury lawyers at Hall & Lampros, LLP.
What Are the Consequences of Learner Driver Crashes?
As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenage drivers and passengers between the ages of 16 and 19 are almost three times more likely to die in a car crash than those who are 20 years or older. Georgia has a graduated driving license system under the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act, which gradually grants drivers expanded privileges to help curb the startling statistics surrounding teenage deaths in motor vehicle accidents. The first type of license that drivers are eligible for is the learner’s permit (Class CP), followed by the intermediate provisional license (Class D), and, finally, the full license (Class C).
To be eligible for a Class D license, the driver must not have committed major traffic violations and meet other requirements. If a learner driver causes an accident, this may impact their overall eligibility for a Class D license. In addition, his or her parent’s insurance rate may go up because of the perceived increased risk in insuring the vehicle and driver.
How Can Parents Help Learner Drivers and Teenagers Reduce the Risk of Car Accidents?
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, abruptly maneuvering the vehicle was one contributing factor in car accidents involving new or teenage drivers. To counter this, the authors of the study posit parents should practice driving with their children and help them properly and calmly maneuver the vehicle if obstacles or changing conditions occur. According to the study, there was a strong correlation between increased driving practice time and a lower rate of accidents.
Contact Experience Georgia Car Accident Lawyers for Help
Being in a car accident can be confusing and overwhelming, especially if the crash involves a learner driver. The consequences of learner driver crash include ineligibility or delayed eligibility for a driver’s license. Additionally, the insurance rates may increase and, in some cases, the parents of the learner driver may be responsible for paying compensation to those injured in the crash. For legal help involving learner driver crashes, consider contacting the Georgia car accident attorneys at Hall & Lampros by calling 404-876-8100.

Chris has successfully represented numerous clients in catastrophic personal injury, employment law matters, class action, consumer protection, business tort, and legislative matters involving multi-million-dollar damages.