Blue Springs, MO Car Accident Attorneys Invite You to Visit AAA's Keys2Drive Website

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has a new website that will help you to get your teen on the road to a safe driving career. The new website is called Keys2Drive and it provides parents in Missouri with vital information to help reduce their teen's risk of a car accident in Blue Springs and elsewhere throughout Missouri.

Our car accident attorneys understand that auto accidents continue to be the number one killer for teens in the country. Every single day, more teens are killed in car accidents than from suicide, homicide and cancer combined. A significant number of these teen deaths result from being the passenger of another teen driver. Even the smartest and brightest teens are at a significantly higher risk for a car accident when driving with other teen passengers.

Three of the most important tips you can offer your newly-licensed driver:

-Don't ride with more than one teen passenger. Passengers can greatly increase the risks of a serious car accident.

-Limit nighttime driving. Teens' risks for an accident skyrocket when the sun sets.

-Use a seat belt. Seat belts have been proven to be effective in saving lives in the event of a car accident.

To help your teen to learn how to drive, the state gradually lifts restrictions off of these young drivers. This process is known as the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. This three-stage program eases these young drivers into more challenging driving situations through an extended period of time.

-Instructional Permit (15-years-old): In Missouri, teens can apply to receive this permit at the age of 15. Under this license, they're allowed to drive only with a parent, grandparent, guardian or a qualified instructor in the front seat. Once the driver turns 16, they're allowed to drive with a licensed passenger over the age of 20.

-Intermediate License (16-years-old): After holding an instructional permit for no less than 182 days, completing 40 hours of supervised driving, having had no alcohol-related convictions in the last year and having received no traffic convictions within the last 6 months, a driver can apply for an intermediate license. This will only be obtained after passing a vision, a knowledge, a road sign and a driving test.

Under this stage, a driver can operate a vehicle without supervision between the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. unless driving to or from a school activity of work. During the first six months, a driver cannot have more than one passenger under the age of 19 and no more than three after the first six months. The driver and all passengers must wear seat belts.

-Full License (18-years-old): To get this license, a driver cannot have received an alcohol-related offense or any traffic convictions in the previous year. A driver has no further restrictions under this license.

Parents are urged to review the practice driving exam questions with your young driver to ensure that they're familiar with roadway rules. It's also recommended that you and your child create a parent-teen driving agreement to help to enforce their safe driving habits.