Silver Chips Online

Driving restrictions would benefit teen drivers

Legislation would help prevent crashes caused by driver inexperience

Since early Sept. 2004, automobile accidents have claimed the lives of at least 17 teenagers in the Washington region alone. One teenager was driving drunk. Another was speeding. Another lost control with three other passengers in the car. A large number of these accidents were caused by driving inexperience and driver immaturity, which could have been prevented.

On Jan. 13, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. proposed bills that would increase the learner's permit period from four to six months, add a 90-day license suspension for provisional drivers who violate seatbelt or curfew laws and revoke the licenses of minors who are convicted of driving under the influence until they turn 21.

Two weeks later, on Jan. 28, Delegate William A. Bronrott (D-Montgomery) proposed allowing minors in the first six months of their provisional period to drive only passengers who are family members, prohibiting minors from using cell phones while driving during their provisional period and increasing the required number of supervised driving hours from 40 to 60, ten of which must be at night.

The measures described in the bills are not farfetched; rather, they are practical solutions to growing problems of driver inexperience and driving distractions that result in accidents. Car crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20- year-old drivers, according to an article by the American Automobile Association. This is no coincidence; the article also mentioned that 75 percent of the fatal crashes involving drivers in this age bracket are caused by driver error or other factors related to the driver's behavior. A large number of these driver errors are due to a lack of behind-the-wheel experience.

One way to solve the problem of inexperience is to stop it where it starts – with new drivers. The current Rookie Driver graduated licensing system in Maryland allows teenagers to obtain a provisional license after holding a learner's permit for four months and driving for 40 hours under adult supervision. Requiring more experience would, at best, increase the new driver's familiarity with various driving situations, allowing them to competently handle the same situations independently. If teenagers aren't given enough experience on the road, they won't be able to drive with responsibility.

In 2003, over 5,600 teenagers were killed in drunk driving accidents. The statistics alone speak for themselves – drunk driving is a serious problem. Ehrlich's drunk driving bill would finally express the gravity of the situation to license holders under the age of 21, for whom drinking in itself is illegal. Driving while drunk is a completely irresponsible act that violates two laws so offenders should receive twice the punishment. With the threat of having their licenses revoked, teenagers would think twice before drinking, let alone driving drunk.

The chances of a crash by a 16- or 17-year-old driver are doubled with two peers in the vehicle and quadrupled with three or more, according to a recent study by the National Institute of Health. Bronrott's first two bills respond to this risk and even go further to eliminate the deadly distraction of cell phones. Operating an automobile with one hand and holding a cell phone in the other has claimed the lives of many and has forced some districts, including D.C., to ban handheld talking on cell phones while driving. If teenagers are able to learn the risks of distractions by the threat of law, everyone will be better off. Though Bronrott's bills will not entirely eliminate the risks and distractions, they will at least forge a path of distraction-free driving for teenagers.

Teenagers are four times as likely as older, more experienced drivers to be involved in a crash, according to the Institute for Highway Safety. With the bills proposed by Ehrlich, Bronrott and other supporters, teens will gain the maturity and experience they need to prevent these crashes and drive more safely.

http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/5042