In this post, we’ll explore how laws in Arkansas regarding emancipation can affect young drivers and what role the law and technology have to play in making the roads a safe place for younger drivers. Both the law and the technology are important. While discussing Arkansas emancipation laws, we need to understand exactly what emancipation means. It is the termination of parental (or guardian) control over a child. In most states, the term “child” applies to anyone who is less than eighteen years old. Once the child has reached age eighteen, they are considered an adult unless otherwise determined by the courts. However, in certain circumstances, a person can be considered an adult in the eyes of the law at a much younger age. These conditions are known as emancipation. In the state of Arkansas, an individual has the potential to be emancipated at the age of sixteen. If a person between the ages of sixteen and eighteen is considered emancipated, they are no longer under the control of their parents. With emancipation, a minor can enter into a contract with full legal capacity and may be authorized to go ahead and apply for a marriage license without parental consent. In addition to these areas, an emancipated minor in Arkansas has the potential to get a work permit and to enlist in the military. The emancipation laws for Arkansas determine whether a minor is still under the control of their parent or guardian, or if the minor is completely independent. If a minor has acquired emancipation prior to age sixteen, they are legally responsible for all their own decisions and from this point on, must be treated as an adult. An emancipated minor in the state of Arkansas is legally bound to face the consequences of their actions. If the minor commits a crime, they are subject to be tried and sentenced as an adult. They no longer have the protection of a parent or guardian. However, it should be noted that an emancipated minor is still expected to follow the laws of minors, regardless of their emancipation status.
When it comes to the definition of freedom, an emancipated minor physically has the opportunity to come and go as they please. However, there are a lot of responsibilities that come from this freedom. A sixteen-year-old emancipated minor chooses to live independently; they cannot expect the parents to cover for medical costs, housing or anything else. With this law, an emancipated minor in the state of Arkansas cannot expect their parents to step in and bail them out when they make a mistake, i.e., getting arrested for a crime, violating a license agreement, etc. This type of flexibility can be dangerous for a minor because (let’s face it) they are not ready for the added burden of responsibility. With this independence comes freedom, but also the consequences (including financial) for the poor decisions that can be made. An emancipated minor in the state of Arkansas is expected to accept the same liability for their actions as an adult. In the eyes of the law, the parent’s responsibility has finished. But does this also mean that there is no more responsibility for the minor? From the law’s perspective, an emancipated minor can usually be held legally responsible for their actions. From this point onward, if an emancipated minor goes out and gets in an accident while distracted by their phone they would be held fully accountable by the law because they are no longer under the control of their parents or guardians. If an emancipated minor gets pulled over for drunk driving, they would be expected to take responsibility for their actions. An emancipated minor is legally obligated to compensate for any damages that may occur as a result of a car accident. If an emancipated teen gets into an accident and it ends up causing physical harm to someone, the emancipated minor can be held liable in a court of law. When they obtain their emancipation, they are fully responsible for their actions and can be held civilly liable for any injuries that occur. While it may be true that an emancipated minor can have the freedom to perform actions without the jurisdiction of a parent or guardian, the consequences for their actions are significantly higher. With their millions of emotions, an emancipated minor may be frequently distracted which can lead to a variety of car accidents. But while the law requires these children to take on the burden of adult responsibilities, technology can help save their lives.
SaverOne 2016 is one of the unique companies that have created a mobile application that will prevent a driver from using certain distractions on the phone. This product, referred to as SaverOne, is an application that can be downloaded onto a mobile device and installed onto the car. During this time, the application has the ability to detect distractions such as social media, emails or text messages and automatically blocks them from being used by the driver. SaverOne 2016 is an automatic application that detects potential dangers and stops the problem before it causes an issue. The technology that we see today has evolved from what it once was. We are accustomed to a world around us that is essentially “instant” in a lot of ways. As humans, we want answers, solutions, and gratification immediately. When it comes to the safety of an individual on the road, a life can be saved in the interim if they can avoid unsophisticated phone elements that easily draw attention away from what is important. There have been times where a driver who is working with a mobile application around the clock has stopped an accident from occurring. The value of this type of technology is evident in its ability to block out the most threatening elements on a driver’s phone. The use of programs like SaverOne 2016 help save the life of the driver behind the wheel, and everyone else on the road.
When children achieve emancipation early and receive validation in their ability to make decisions, it can often be a bit overwhelming for them. A driver who is considered too young, but legally allowed to drive has a lot of emotions to deal with. While we all know that teenagers can be reckless, the lawyers of Arkansas Emancipation Laws make it so that these kids can no longer rely on their parents for protection. This can make it difficult for a young person who is now expected to take on and understand their responsibility. They want to prove they are responsible, and heading down a path where they cannot ask for help. Because of this desire to prove their independence to others, these children have no sense of limitations. For example, if their smartphone has social media notifications and an email notification app, the emancipated minor is expected to “check” it. But in order to do this, the young minor would have to pick up the phone and engage in a text message conversation. There are a lot of distractions that take place when a phone buzzes in the seat next to a driver. The driver wants to turn to look at their phone and engage in a conversation. If an emancipated teenager picks up the phone and turns to look, they can get distracted and easily cause an accident. The opportunity for a minor to take part in more adult-like activities presents itself when they receive their emancipation, but accidents can quickly turn into real-life situations. There have been a lot of accidents that have lead to fatalities over the years. There is a reason why these accidents happen. The problem is that technology has outpaced the laws of today. New legislation is being updated to verify that new technology has no impact on the laws of today. For example, we see that hands-free laws are being incorporated and passed in a lot of states. However, issues with phones, social media and more still pose a significant threat to drivers of all ages. As technology continues to improve, we will see that new legislation will have to keep up. These two elements (the law and technology) are expected to stay balanced with one another. Since social media was introduced, there have been a lot of accidents that have taken place as a result. But there have also been a lot of accidents that are prevented as a result of new legislation that has recently been passed. When accidents do not occur, stories are told in a different way. For the families that have faced situations that have caused heartache, government officials have been called to make sure that these situations do not repeat themselves. There are lots of steps that can be taken to ensure a greater match of the law and technology. A good example would be the step being taken in New Jersey where distracted walking is a crime. As time continues on, we will see that there are more measures that authorities can take to ensure that the new generation sees the law with the technology and lives an independent but responsible lifestyle. With new legislation in place and access to technology, we can only expect that the roads are going to become much safer.
