Joyriding and inexperienced teenage drivers

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Redwings97

New member
I have been absent from here lately because I have been at the hospital with my 15 year old son for the past week +. Just so you know - he is going to make a full recovery, with the exception of the chance of seizures the rest of his life.

For you youngsters out there - BE SAFE WHILE DRIVING WITH FRIENDS IN THE CAR. It is that simple.

Yes my son was dumb enough to get into a car with a friend who has had his license for 2 weeks. They decided to go joyriding on some back roads here, especially the one called "roller coaster road". The driver lost control, ran off the road and then the car flipped upside down.

My son called me from the wreck. I arrived to the scene and he was being carted off in an ambulance to the trauma center at the Reading Hospital. The wife and I arrived and 2 hours later found out he was non responsive when he arrived and had a grandma seizure. The trauma surgeon said a cracked skull, right lung contusion and broken bones in his right foot. Luckily the part of the brain that was damaged is considered a dead zone and does not do anything.

We had surgery on his skull to remove the broken piece of skull and a titanium plate put in place with 7 titanium screws. As I said earlier, he going to make a full recovery. The 20 staples in his head come out this Thursday.

Yes all 3 kids survived and all 3 were wearing their seat belts.

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I'm glad that your son will make a full recovery.
Be thankful that he and his friends were wise enough to wear their seat belts.

As for being foolish, we all were at that age. I just hope that he will approach situations like that with a bit more caution.

Our prayers for a speedy recovery
 
Wow Trent so sorry to hear :( Glad to hear he will recover :bigups NY made laws to help prevent teens driving with teens , but I doubt many parents abide by it :wall Give my best to your wife as this must be eating her up :pray:
 
I deal with wrecks like this everyday, and the key thing you mentioned was they were wearing their seatbelts. That has alot to do with all three of them being here today.

Jaybs02 is right, we all have done stupid things. Most of the wrecks I see involving teens could've been avoided.
 
Thanks guys for all the well wishes and prayers.

My son and his friends were very lucky and honestly the seat belts saved their lives. The driver walked away and the other kid riding shotgun escaped with a few fractures along the spine and neck, but nothing that requires surgery.

It would be awesome to have laws that prevent kids driving their friends around for at least 6 months to a year. Who knows, if that will actually prevent them for doing things like this after the allowed to by law.

Kids being kids, just this time, their is a happy ending for three families.
 
Cailf...has some very strict driving rules for first time drivers...that said you still read about accidents like this in the local news all the time.

Again just glad that it worked out in the best for everyone involved.
 
Here's a copy of the NY law which is still pretty soft for under 18 year old drivers if you ask me :rolleyes:

Graduated Licensing Law: A new graduated licensing law begins in NYS on September 1, 2003. The law affects how drivers under the age of 18 ("junior drivers") receive senior driving privileges and changes the restrictions on junior drivers. Junior drivers are drivers who have a driver license or a learner permit of Class DJ or Class MJ.
On September 1, 2003, these new rules began for all junior drivers:

  • A junior driver cannot operate a vehicle that has more than two passengers who are under the age of 21 unless a parent, a guardian, or a driving instructor also rides in the vehicle. There is an exception to this rule if the passengers are immediate family members.
  • When the law requires supervision of the junior driver, only the supervising driver can ride in the front seat. The supervising driver must be 21 years of age or older and must have a valid driver license.
  • All passengers that ride with a junior driver must use the correct safety restraints (seat belts, child safety seats, or child restraint systems).
 
My stomach sank while reading this.
As horrible as this was for you and your wife, count your blessings. Your son's alive.
 
Poorboy said:
Here's a copy of the NY law which is still pretty soft for under 18 year old drivers if you ask me :rolleyes:

Graduated Licensing Law: A new graduated licensing law begins in NYS on September 1, 2003. The law affects how drivers under the age of 18 ("junior drivers") receive senior driving privileges and changes the restrictions on junior drivers. Junior drivers are drivers who have a driver license or a learner permit of Class DJ or Class MJ.
On September 1, 2003, these new rules began for all junior drivers:

  • A junior driver cannot operate a vehicle that has more than two passengers who are under the age of 21 unless a parent, a guardian, or a driving instructor also rides in the vehicle. There is an exception to this rule if the passengers are immediate family members.
  • When the law requires supervision of the junior driver, only the supervising driver can ride in the front seat. The supervising driver must be 21 years of age or older and must have a valid driver license.
  • All passengers that ride with a junior driver must use the correct safety restraints (seat belts, child safety seats, or child restraint systems).
Click to expand...

I will have to check into the PA laws regarding this. It is still such a tough law for law enforcement and parents involved. However, the law aims at preventing more injuries than necessary with junior drivers.

heatgain said:
My stomach sank while reading this.
As horrible as this was for you and your wife, count your blessings. Your son's alive.
Click to expand...

Yes he is and hopefully has no lingering effects of his brain injury.
 
This is the only thing I found regarding junior drivers in PA. The first call I got from my son was at 11:06pm - so apparently the driver was out past the 11:00 curfew. I am sure the driver will face some consequences for not abiding by the law.

Young drivers who graduate to a junior license have satisfactorily completed all learner’s
permit requirements, including the road test, but the following restrictions still apply:
• Required sanctions for high-risk drivers under age 18: A young driver’s junior license
will be suspended for 90 days if he or she accumulates six or more points or is
convicted of a single high-speed violation (driving 26 miles per hour or more over the
posted speed limit).
• Nighttime driving restriction begins at 11 p.m.: Even with a junior license, a young
driver may not be behind the wheel between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Exceptions for employment and volunteer or charitable service will apply, but young
drivers must carry proper documentation regarding their need to travel.
• Passenger limitation: The number of passengers must not exceed the number of seat
belts in the vehicle. This applies to all drivers under age 18.
 
Redwings97 said:
This is the only thing I found regarding junior drivers in PA. The first call I got from my son was at 11:06pm - so apparently the driver was out past the 11:00 curfew. I am sure the driver will face some consequences for not abiding by the law.

Young drivers who graduate to a junior license have satisfactorily completed all learner’s
permit requirements, including the road test, but the following restrictions still apply:
• Required sanctions for high-risk drivers under age 18: A young driver’s junior license
will be suspended for 90 days if he or she accumulates six or more points or is
convicted of a single high-speed violation (driving 26 miles per hour or more over the
posted speed limit).
• Nighttime driving restriction begins at 11 p.m.: Even with a junior license, a young
driver may not be behind the wheel between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Exceptions for employment and volunteer or charitable service will apply, but young
drivers must carry proper documentation regarding their need to travel.
• Passenger limitation: The number of passengers must not exceed the number of seat
belts in the vehicle. This applies to all drivers under age 18.
Click to expand...

why would this not apply to everyone :confused: :hmmm:
 
Steve from what Trent said that there was only in the car the driver would not have been breaking the law in NY. He only had 2 passengers.
 
Trent, I too will pray for your son's full recovery and for your families well being. Thanks for shareing this so that maybe some others also may learn from it.
 
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