U.S. lawmakers to get tougher on teen drivers

Posted Tue May 27 2008 6:52 PM by Kenneth Hall

Michigan’s graduated driver licensing system has seen the number of 16-year-old drivers injured or killed in vehicle accidents drop dramatically over the past decade, and is proving so successful that other states are not only considering implementing similar systems but also introducing tougher rules and restrictions. One bill that appears to be gaining popularity is to limit the number of young passengers a teenage driver can have riding with them. Another would prohibit 16-year-old drivers from using mobile phones while at the wheel.

The new bills were instated after new crash data showed that in Michigan fatalities in vehicle accidents caused by teen drivers had fallen 41% since the graduated driver licensing system was introduced. Fatalities for drivers in all age groups declined over the same period by only 28%.

The licensing system requires teenagers to pass through two levels of training and restricted driving before applying for a full license, reports The Detroit News.

There has been a great of deal of opposition towards the bill to limit the number of passengers a teenage driver can carry, as there are drivers with young families and it would mean an end to giving friends a lift to school. However, only last week information was released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that showed more than two thirds of all teenagers killed in vehicle accidents at night were not wearing a seatbelt, and one of the reasons cited was peer pressure from fellow passengers.

Reader Comments

Tue May 27 2008 7:28 PM
Mark says

Amazingly, if you'd done even a minimum of research, you'd find that versions of this law have been implemented throughout the U.S. over the last few years. California has been leading the pack and it's taking the rest of the country a few years to catch up. The title of this story is a bit misleading, considering that "U.S." would normally imply federal regulations -- that's obviously not the case.
Tue May 27 2008 7:47 PM
admin says

Actually, if you had bothered to search the site you would have seen we've covered this topic in detail before.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/safety/two-thirds-of-teenagers-killed-on-us-roads-at-night-not-wearing-seatbelts/
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/industry/teenage-crashes-cost-us-34-billion-annually/
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/news/teens-no-longer-eager-to-drive-on-their-own/
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/trends/both-the-young-and-old-wanted-off-the-roads/

The point is that more states are moving towards tougher teenage legislation.
Wed May 28 2008 3:40 PM
chris says

har har.. adminslapped

admin,.. don't worry, not everyone dedicates their life to combing every article on this site.

These graduated licensing laws are still rediculously lax compared to canadian licensing laws.. 3 levels of license, and with your learners permit, you have to drive with some one who'd had their full license for 5 years, no alcohol in your blood, cant drive on major highways, and can't drive at night. there are other minor things but who cares.
Wed May 28 2008 11:15 PM
NaBUru38 says

"Another would prohibit 16-year-old drivers from using mobile phones while at the wheel." And older people may use them while driving? Nonsense.

"One bill that appears to be gaining popularity is to limit the number of young passengers a teenage driver can have riding with them." That will have negative effects on pollution and fuel consumption...

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