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Parents and guardians play an important role in teen drivers’ lives. They are role models for young drivers, and many teens mimic the actions, or inactions, of their parents and guardians. The Fort Myers accident attorneys at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. reminds adult drivers to always drive safely.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says teen drivers are not ready to have the same level of driving responsibility as adults because they lack the maturity, skills, and experience needed to drive safely. “They speed, they make mistakes, and they get distracted easily – especially if their friends are in the car,” says NHSTA.

Because teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, every state and the District of Columbia have three-stage graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems. NHTSA says this approach reduces a teen’s crash risk by as much as 50 percent.

A Fort Myers accident attorney at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. says the following chart outlines Florida’s GDL program:

Randall Spivey, Fort Myers accident attorney, is sharing below information from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) that gives teens the tools and language to take ownership of their driving habits through its We Arrive Alive campaign.

Driving is a Privilege – Don’t Lose It

• Parents can rescind a minor’s driver's license.
  • The parent or guardian who signs the Parental Consent Form can rescind responsibility for their minor’s driving and cancel the minor’s license.
• If teens get six or more points on their license within 12 months, their license is restricted to “Business Purposes Only” for one year.
  • If teens receive six points on their driving record within a 12 month period, driving privileges are automatically restricted to Business Purposes Only for 12 months or until age 18, whichever happens first. If additional points are received during this restricted period, the restriction is extended to 90 days for each additional point.
• If under 21, it’s ZERO TOLERANCE for drinking and driving.
  • Drivers under the age of 21 with a blood-alcohol level of .02 percent or more will have their license immediately suspended for six months. A second offense will result in a one-year suspension. Refusal to submit to testing (first offense) results in a suspension of 12 months, 18 months on a second offense.
• If a teen receives a moving violation conviction with a Learner’s License, they have one more year until they can get an Operator’s License.
  • If a teen receives a moving traffic conviction with a Learner’s License, the one-year period required to hold the Learner’s License will be extended for one year from the date of the conviction, or until 18 years old, whichever happens first.
• Teens must be in compliance with school attendance, or they will be ineligible to obtain or maintain their license.
  • If not in compliance with school attendance, a teen’s driving privilege can be suspended until proof of attendance in school for 30 consecutive days has been provided.
• If convicted of possession of tobacco, minors lose their license for a minimum of 30 days.
  • If convicted for possession of tobacco or nicotine products under the age of 18, the minor’s license will be suspended for 30 days or more.

“If you or a loved one is injured in an accident because of the negligence of another, please contact our experienced Fort Myers accident attorneys after seeking medical attention. We are available 24/7 to assist you, and there are no costs or attorney fees until we receive a monetary recovery for you,” said Attorney Spivey.

Fort Myers Accident Attorney Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one percent (1%) of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact  Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A .in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County at 239.793.7748.