Mississippi Teen Driving
                                              
                                       

                                                Informed parents play a key role in keeping teens safe on the roads of Mississippi. To view all the latest information on
                                                the Graduated Drivers License (GDL) laws, quick tips, risk factors, a crash map and more, click here.


    What is Graduated Driver Licensing?
                                                               A comprehensive graduated driver licensing system consists of a learner's stage, an intermediate stage, and an     
    unrestricted driving stage.  Graduated Driver Licensing systems -- often called GDL -- are an effective method for reducing the crash risk of new teen
    drivers.  GDL systems are designed to phase young novice drivers into full driving privileges gradually over time so they gain behind-the-wheel
    experience and develop driving skills in lower-riskconditions.  Research studies have shown that strong GDL systems can reduce crash rates among
     teen drivers up to 40%.

    FATALITIES IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES INVOLVING TEEN DRIVERS




    What is the STAND UP ACT?
  • States must meet the following requirements under the STANDUP Act:
  • Three stages of licensing – learner’s permit, intermediate stage, and full licensure – should be used
  • Age 16 should be the earliest age for entry into the learner’s permit process
  • Nighttime driving while unsupervised should be restricted during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages, until full licensure at age 18
  • Driving while using communication devices (cell phone calls, texting) should be prohibited at least until full licensure at age 18
  • Unrestricted, full licensure should occur no earlier than age 18
  • Passengers should be restricted – no more than one non-familial passenger under age 21 unless a licensed driver over age 21 is in the vehicle – until full
    licensure at age 18
  • Any other requirement adopted by the Secretary of Transportation, such as a minimum duration of 6 months and a minimum of 30 hours of supervised
    driving for a learner’s permit, may be included
  • Compliance with the requirements within the first three years after enactment will make states eligible for incentive grants
  • Three years are provided for states to meet the requirements, after which sanctions are imposed to encourage states to meet the requirements

    Click here for additional information regarding the STAND UP ACT.

    The Helmet Habit GET INTO IT!  

    Good Reasons to Wear a Helmet
  • The most important reason is to prevent head injuries!
  • Visibility: You are easier to see.
  • Emergency Data: If you have a medical condition, you can tape information inside your helmet.
  • Climate Control: A helmet will keep the sun off your head so that you stay cooler.
  • Image: When wearing a helmet, motorists will expect you to ride correctly.


    Statistics show 75% of all bicycle-related injuries and deaths are caused by collisions involving the head
    and Helmets are 87% effective in protecting against head injuries.

    Proper Fit

  • The helmet must stay on your head. It should fit snug and feel good.
  • It should be positioned on your head to cover As much as possible – including the forehead.
  • Always buckle the chin strap.
  • Use the foam pads that come with helmet to insure proper fit.


    When purchasing helmets for children, the helmet should cover as much of the head as
    possible. It should be positioned level on the head and fit securely when fastened.


    How to Get Your Child to Wear a Helmet


  • Let the child help pick it out.
  • Always insist that the child wear it.
  • When you ride together, set by example – wear your own helmet.
  • Praise and reward each time your child wears their helmet.
  • Begin the helmet habit with the first bicycle ride.
  • Encourage other parents to buy and use helmets.


    Safety Tips

  • Wear a helmet
  • Obey signs and signals.
  • Ride on the right side of the road with traffic.
  • Watch for road hazards.
  • Use hand signals.
  • Lock your bike
  • Children Should not ride at night.
  • Watch for cars in driveways.
  • Use caution in wet weather.
  • Be predictable.
  • Give your bike regular check-ups.
  • Be considerate.




    ATV SAFETY
    To view our power point on ATV Safety and Statistics, please Click Here.

    Mississippians are 3.5 times more likely to die from an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident
    compared the 2010 national average.

    ATV Risks

  • More than 200 Mississippians died from ATV injuries between 1998 and 2008, and injuries are rising fastest
    in children under 16. ATVs present unique dangers because they can reach high speed off the road where
    unpredictable conditions can cause collisions and rollovers. Mississippi has no safety legislation for ATVs,
    and many riders are either too young for their vehicle or do not wear helmets.
  • Safety Precautions: ATV riders, especially younger ones, should take strong safety precautions.
  • Equipment: Head injuries are the deadliest consequence of ATV accidents. Helmets can reduce the severity
    of head injuries, and save a life. Arms, legs and eyes are also exposed to injury from rocks, trees and other
    debris. You can help protect them by wearing gloves, long shirts and pants, and over-the-ankle boots.
  • Size and weight: ATVs for adults and children are not the same. If you're under 16, your chance of injury doubles if you are riding an ATV made for an
    adult. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for weight and size of the rider, and don't carry passengers unless your ATV is specifically designed to do
    so.
  • Roads: Paved roads may seem like a safer choice for ATV riding, particularly for new learners. But ATVs are not designed to make quick turns on
    pavement, and are likely to roll over. Keep off the road, and stay at a safe speed.
  • Instruction: Studies show that formal, hands-on ATV training lowers the risk of injury for adults and children.              



    Falls Education Awareness on TBI

    Each year, thousands of older Americans fall at home. Many of them are seriously injured,
    and some of them are disabled. More than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year in
    the United States. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of deaths. They are also
    the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admission for trauma.

    In 2005, 15,800 people 65 and older died from injuries related to unintentional falls; about
    1.8 million people 65 and older were treated in the ER for nonfatal injuries from falls and more
    than 433,000 of these patients were hospitalized. The rates of fall related deaths among older
    adults rose significantly over the past decade. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic
    brain injuries, or TBI. In 2000, TBI accounted for 46% of fatal falls among older adults in the
    United States.


    Who is at risk?

  • Men are more likely to die from a fall. After adjusting for age, the fall fatality rate in 2004 was 49% higher for men than for women.
  • Women are 67% more likely than men to have a nonfatal fall injury
  • Rates of fall related fractures among older adults are more than twice as high for women as for men.
  • The risk of being seriously injured in a fall increases with age. In 2001, the rates of fall injuries for adults 85 and older were four to five times that of adults
    ages 65 - 74.
  • Nearly 85% of deaths from falls in 2004 were among people 75 and older.
  • People 75 and older who fall are four to five times more likely to be admitted to a long - term care facility for a year or longer.
  • There is little difference in fatal fall rates between whites and blacks from age 65 - 74.
  • After age 75, white men have the highest fatality rate, followed by white women, black men, and black women.
  • White women have significantly higher rates of fall - related hip fractures than black women.
Prevention is the only cure for brain injury!
    A brain injury can happen at anytime.  The damage can be long lasting... broken bones, cracked skulls, lives torn apart! Often it was from
    something that could have been prevented.  You will find below some of the programs and prevention measures that the Brain Injury
    Association of Mississippi is dedicated to:

  • Mississippi Teen Driving - Graduated Driver's Licensing
  • Bicycle Safety - The importance of wearing a helmet!
  • ATV Prevention and Safety
  • Fall Prevention
In 2009, 140 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Mississippi. Over the past five years, Mississippi crashes involving teen drivers
claimed 778 lives. Nationally, since 2000, nearly 81,000 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Brain Injury Association of Mississippi
"Improving the quality of life for survivors of brain and spinal cord injury and their families and
supporting programs designed to prevent such injuries."