Georgia Injury Law Blog
The governor of Georgia has announced the establishment of a committee that would consist entirely of teenagers, for the purpose of advising state officials on ways to reduce car accidents in Atlanta and across the state.
Gov. Nathan Deal has announced that the commission, called the Gov.’s Commission on Teen Driving would constitute a panel of teenagers from around Georgia.These teenagers would be selected based on applications received by the state.About 15 to 20 teenage drivers will be included on the panel.
According to the Gov.’s Office of Highway Safety, Gov. Nathan Deal has significant concerns about accidents and fatalities facing many of Georgia’s youngest drivers.The Governor’s Office is encouraging teenage motorists between the ages of 15 and 19 to apply for positions on the panel, because this can present them with a unique opportunity to help formulate laws that affect teenage safety.
Teenage drivers elected to serve on the panel will be responsible for preparing a report on teenage safety, and giving advice to the Governor as well as other state officials about developing effective strategies for preventing teen-related accidents and injuries that can be used across the state of Georgia.Having young teenage minds on the panel can draw attention to new and nontraditional methods of preventing teenage accidents.
In Georgia and around the country, automobile accidents remain the number one cause of death for teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19.These statistics have remained the same for years, even as the numbers of people being killed in traffic accidents have declined across the country.Teenage drivers may suffer from a number of age-related factors that put them at risk.
For example, some teenagers tend to be vulnerable to feelings of invincibility, and may have a lower understanding of their risk of accidents.Teenagers may also be more aggressive, and much more susceptible to risk-taking behavior, compared to motorists in other groups.Teenagers are also more susceptible to peer pressure, and this can cause them to indulge in unsafe driving practices, like driving under the influence of alcohol, or using a cell phone while driving.
Further, teenagers may also be more susceptible to cell phone use while driving, which is a major cause of accidents involving teenage motorists in Georgia.Teenagers are heavy consumers of social media and social networking sites, and many now also own smart phones that help them constantly stay in touch with friends, even when they are driving.