Member of the Colorado Bar Association since 2014. Attorney, Christopher M. Nicolaysen focuses primarily on helping those injured in Colorado car accidents, other auto accidents, and Colorado personal injury incidents.
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy and clarity by the team of writers and attorneys at Springs Law Group and is as accurate as possible. This content should not be taken as legal advice from an attorney. If you would like to learn more about our owner and experienced Colorado personal injury lawyer, Christopher Nicolaysen, you can do so here.
Springs Law Group does everything possible to make sure the information in this article is up to date and accurate. If you need specific legal advice about your case, contact us. This article should not be taken as advice from an attorney.
Because teen drivers are new to the road, they may be more susceptible to getting involved in an accident.
However, just because they are novice drivers does not mean that they are automatically responsible if a collision occurs.
A skilled attorney with experience in handling claims for Colorado Springs teen driver accidents could help you if your teenager was involved in a car wreck.
To start driving, state law requires that a person be at least 16 years of age or older to get their driver’s license.
Additionally, a person must be at least 14 years and ten months old to start a driver’s education course.
To get a learner’s permit, if an individual is 14 and ½ years old but less than 15 years and six months, state law requires them to attend and complete a state-approved 30-hour driver education course and pass a written test once they reach 15 years old.
If a teen is 15 years and six months but less than 16 years of age, state law requires them to attend and complete an approved prequalification four-hour driver awareness program or a state-approved 30-hour driving education course, and pass a written test.
Next, if the teenage is 16 years of old, state law requires them to pass a written test.
It is important to note that there are no exceptions that would enable somebody to begin driving earlier than 16 for a driver’s license.
A person must have their learner’s permit for one full year from the original date of issuance until they may be eligible to take the driver’s test.
Additionally, they must complete six hours of behind-the-wheel education with a state-certified instructor.
They also must complete a driving time log sheet with a total of 50 hours behind the wheel, which must include at least 10 hours of night driving, and a parent or guardian must sign off on these hours.
If a person is under the age of 18, they may not operate a motor vehicle between midnight and five o’clock in the morning with their driver’s license.
Additionally, for the first six months of owning their license, they may not have any passengers under 21.
However, their siblings are exempt.
Between six months and one year of holding their driver’s license, a teen may only have one passenger under the age of 21.
Their siblings are exempt, but then after one year of holding their driver’s license, if they are still under the age of 18, the novice driver would be able to move forward.
Frequently, teen driver crashes in Colorado Springs occur because they are inexperienced and nervous.
This causes them to be less aware of others on the road and unable to make decisions quickly, which could lead to a serious crash.
Additionally, they can become easily distracted by their phones or other passengers in the vehicle, and they do not know how to adapt or handle them.
Driving at night, tired, and while under the influence also can become problems that result in an accident.
Parents in Colorado Springs should teach their teen drivers to stay calm and call the police immediately in the event of an accident.
Then, their next call should be to their parents.
Additionally, parents should tell their teens to move their vehicle away from oncoming traffic if they are able.
They also should take photos of the scene and take notes about what happened.
This could help them recall important information about the collision.
One of the biggest steps that a parent can take to help prevent their teens from becoming involved in an accident is to be an example when driving with them in the car.
Teens may copy their parent’s actions and use them as an example when they start driving.
Therefore, parents need to ensure that they are not driving while distracted driving when their teens are in the vehicle with them.
Additionally, parents should have conversations with their teenagers as they are learning how to drive.
Parents should talk about what their teens can improve on and celebrate what they did well.
In general, it is important to correct and compliment.
In Colorado Springs, a car accident case plays out differently when the driver is under 18 than it would in other circumstances in that when the case is settled, probate court approval is required before a personal injury case involving a minor can be fully settled.
Not only is there a civil case or a component to it, but also a probate component as well, which may be necessary to approve the final settlement and have access to those funds.
After their teen suffered injuries in a car crash, parents should look for an injury lawyer who can communicate with them and with their teenager.
An attorney could provide information that the parents and their teenager need to understand their situation.
Additionally, it is important for teen drivers to feel like they have a voice and are respected as they will be the one having to go to medical treatments and keep deadlines throughout the case.
They want to find a lawyer who is going to engage with the teenager and make them feel like they are being listened to.
For more information about a legal professional could help after Colorado Springs teen driver accidents, call our office today.
Partner
Attorney, Christopher M. Nicolaysen focuses primarily on helping those injured in car accidents due to no fault of their own.
The personal injury matters include auto accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and trucking accidents.
Chris truly enjoys helping clients through a difficult time and helping them get the compensation they deserve.
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I was uneasy about reaching out to a law firm after being in an accident that left me injured and my vehicle totaled. I don’t care for the idea of suing for what was very clearly an accident. However, after learning more about the overall process of working with a professional team to navigate the murky waters of the insurance world, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the experience wasn’t as gross as I’d originally felt about it.
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Springs Law Group is an amazing group to work with! I got into a rough accident, and they never ceased to let me know they were there working hard to help me in my hour of need. It was always very easy to reach out to someone if I had any questions, and they were always happy to answer any questions I had.
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The entire team at Springs Law group has been nothing but amazing. Jake and the rest of the staff were great to work with and extremely professional. They were very attentive and answered any questions and concerns I had. I was always able to contact them and they were very responsive and communicated with me.
Springs Law Group is an amazing group to work with! I got into a rough accident, and they never ceased to let me know they were there working hard to help me in my hour of need. It was always very easy to reach out to someone if I had any questions, and they were always happy to answer any questions I had.
