Protecting Teen Drivers in PA

Having car insurance is essential for drivers of all ages because it enables all drivers on the road to be protected in case they are injured, even more so for young inexperienced drivers as they are much more likely to be involved in a car accident than drivers in the twenties and thirties.  Many drivers complain about high insurance rates, but if you’re ever in a car accident, you’ll be extraordinarily grateful to be covered if you are injured or have caused injury to another driver.

Every year, many people lose their lives in car accidents and insurance helps those involved receive appropriate compensation. Auto insurance also gives a certain amount of peace-of-mind to parents of teen drivers as their teenagers begin gaining experience behind the wheel. Insurance is not meant to be a nuisance and a leech on driver’s wallets; it is meant to protect them and is required so that in the case of an accident, whoever is liable can be held accountable and proper compensation awarded to the victims or families of the victims.

One such victim was Lacey Gallagher, who was killed in a car accident on April 28, 2007. Lacey was a passenger in an SUV with six other teenagers. During the accident, all the other teenagers were injured because none were wearing their seat belts. The terrible tragedy of her passing has been turned into a blessing for other families because of Lacey’s Law legislation, which aims to protect young PA drivers.

Under Lacey’s law in Pennsylvania, teenage drivers with learner’s permits are now required to participate in driver’s training that amounts to 65 hours behind the wheel before they can be issued a junior license; an increase from the previously required 50 hours and includes five hours of inclement weather driving experience and ten hours of night-time driving experience. The new requirement also limits how many passengers teen drivers can have in the car with them. The hope is that Lacey’s law will save lives. Governor Tom Corbett told students at Harrisburg High School “You think we’re picking on you? We are, we really are. We singled you out because we want you here a long time from now.”

A study done by the Institute for Highway Safety in 2005 indicates that the incidence of car crashes for junior drivers increases with the number of passengers in the vehicle. Under Lacey’s law legislation, teen drivers without a parent in the vehicle will not be allowed to have more than one non-family passenger under the age of 18. If, after six months have passed, the teenager is accident free, the teen driver will be allowed to have three non-family passengers in the vehicle.

Lacey’s law also makes not wearing a seat belt a primary offense, so police can stop drivers under 18 if anyone in the vehicle is not wearing seat belts; anyone found to be without their seat belt on will receive a $75 fine. “Teen drivers out there may feel that they are being singled out by this bill and, the fact is, they are. Each of our children, like Lacey Gallagher, represents our future, our hopes and our dreams,” said Gov. Corbett.

Because it is not only your life on the line when you are behind the wheel, it is imperative that you have proper auto insurance when driving. This ensures that drivers are financially protected in cases of accidental injury where no criminal wrongdoing is involved, and also guarantees that any medical treatment can be paid for without stress or worry. Despite the fact that a car accident is usually not due to intent to harm another person, someone is at fault and it is important for the person who was not at fault to receive fair compensation for what happened to them. Driving is a privilege and there are negative consequences when this privilege is abused just like with most every other activity. Insurance can help bring justice and enforce liability in the case of an accident.