It may not always be an exciting time for a parent but eventually, children do become teenagers and soon they reach legal driving age, and will want to begin preparing for driving independence also known as a Georgia Driver’s License.
Georgia has a Graduated Driving Program (GDL) that is called the Teenage & Adult Drivers Responsibility Act (TADRA) This program is in place for teen drivers who are 15 to 18 years old. TADRA includes certain restrictions based on age that must be reached in order to move on to the next type of license and there are a set number of required practice driving training hours, 40 at this time.
The purpose of TADRA is to decrease accidents by making sure you get the experience you need before becoming a fully licensed driver. It has proven effective in reducing teen car accident rates.
The GDL program has three stages:
- Learner’s permit.
- Provisional license (Class D).
- Full driver’s license (Class C).
The University of Georgia offers a free, 2-hour class that prepares both teens and parents alike for that 40 hours. Named P.R.I.D.E. or Parents Reducing Injury and Driver Error, this course addresses the knowledge, driver attitude and behavior for both the new driver and the parent as well. Just because a parent has been driving for years doesn’t mean there is instant knowledge of how to instruct a new driver, that’s why Driver’s Education classes are so important.
The list of dates, times and locations for the course can be found by visiting the Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute’s page: Georgia P.R.I.D.E. Course Availability
The top 6 causes of accidents for teenage driver’s include:
- Immaturity
- Inexperience
- Speeding
- Drinking
- Distractions – cell phones and other passengers. Texting and driving among teens is growing.
- Seatbelts – not wearing one as teens are less likely to do so.
Should you require any sort of assistance in the event your teen driver ends up with a speeding or traffic ticket, know that our team of experienced traffic attorneys has handled numerous successful traffic and speeding ticket violation cases in Georgia Traffic Courts for those under 21.
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