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Should teens ride with teens?

By: Jack Nerad for Driving Today

Date: Tuesday, 24. April 2007

There appears to be a method to reduce teenage traffic collisions that is going unused. Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of Americans support laws limiting the number of teenage passengers who may ride with inexperienced teen drivers, according to a nationwide poll released today by AAA Washington/Inland, yet just half of the states have these lifesaving laws. Crash data show that passenger-restriction laws, an important component of Intermediate Driver Licensing systems, are the most effective way to reduce teen crashes, deaths, and injuries. Sadly, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people 15 to 20 years of age.

If a restriction on teen passengers is an effective tool in limiting teenage crashes, why isn't it being instituted in more states? That's a fair question, and misunderstanding seems to be the key reason.

"There is a current misconception that parents will find the teen passenger restriction law burdensome because parents typically designate the teen as the chauffer to younger siblings," said Janet Ray, AAA Washington/Inland's managing director of corporate communications. "The reality is that most parents are willing to wait a few months longer to ensure the teenager will have the best opportunity to drive safely."

The survey found that most adults (73 percent) think that public officials should do more to improve the safety of drivers ages 15 to 19. Currently 48 states and the District of Columbia have some form of an Intermediate Driver License law. These laws help novice drivers learn to drive by controlling their progression towards full unrestricted driving. However, half the states still do not have the most effective component of an IDL--passenger restrictions. And there are still states that need to add or improve their nighttime driving restrictions and behind the wheel training.

In California, where the first significant teen passenger restrictions took effect in 1999, teen passenger deaths and injuries have dropped by 23 percent. One study showed that inexperienced teens driving with one teen passenger nearly doubled their fatal crash risk; having two or more passengers increased their crash risk five-fold compared with driving alone.

Opinion Research Corporation conducted the national telephone poll December 4 - 7, 2003 for AAA. The survey sampled the opinions of 1,005 adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

� Studio One Networks

Further comments to this article have been disabled.


All Comments (38)

Showing 1 - 38 comments

colin,

hey, i am doing a project on this and was wondering if you guys want to give me your advice on weather or not they should be aloud to drive

77,

They should not drive untill their 18 for the sake of their life's

Bryana,

wow i hate this so much

Kalyn,

Hey, kllier job on that one you guys!

nobody,

I think that the age requirements right now are just fine. And by the way Rowery (his comments near the bottom) if kids had to wait until 21 to get a drivers license that means that most would have to drive to college everyday with their parents. Who would want that?

Marina,

I think other teens should drive with other teens but the person who is driving should have more experience in driving though :) :) :0

Holly,

I am absolutely appalled by the parents on here relieved to have another driver in the family strictly out of mere convenience. Your child can be the most responsible teen in the world but they are still inexperienced and at 16, still sensitive to peer pressure and the need to look "cool" by driving fast. My daughter is 15 and has her learner's permit and I fear for her life. Our problem right now is that I will not let her ride with her friends who are licensed but that are only beginning to drive. Yes, accidents happen to drivers of all ages but much more likely to the inexperienced. My job as the parent is to do my best to try and keep her safe, even if that means she hates me for the time being.

BLAH,

@Sarah,

its more then one teen who has crash, most deaths are cause by teen crashes!

lily,

i think that teens should learn how to drive

Meee (again),

And honestly if we are all going to the same place why not get a ride?? Better then hearing our parents whine and complain about taking us!

Meee,

Honestly i think that the choice of 16 or 18 should be left up to the parents. They should be able to judge whether there kid is responsible and trustworthy enough to get behind the wheel with friends in the car :)
BTW im only 15.

j.b,

i think that if other teens are in the car with another they would have 50/50 chance to get into a car acident

2wist,

idk why im writin dis hahaha

Jose Maruri,

I am 18, I don't got my drivers license, permit nothing, so not to long ago my sister totaled my mom's car while I am in it so when she ran over a stop sign and into a soybean field, I panicked was ready to call the cops, mom called dad her ex now, asking what to do, because my sister had her temps she was afraid to loose it, dad told mom to drive the car back to whitewater leaving the scene so my sister don't lose her license, so we were driving home and the car's insides were full of wet soybeans and some wires were teared out, my sister blames the accident on me that I hit her seat, I had my seatbelt on so she is finding a excuse but anyways, almost home the car lost full battery and we parked on the side of a highway, we called up dad to tow it back to our place but yea she was 16 with her temps. she got her license now but she wasn't pay attention and she could of killed someone in the car, or someone that night, but things i see TEENS SHOULD WAIT TILL THEY ARE 18 not get their license at 16. but what i learned 16 year old's just want there license to have fun but driving isnt to have fun its a dangerous thing also the leading cause of deaths in the united states. but i am happy i never got my license at the age 16. so i vote yes to wait till your 18.

yeahhbuddy.,

i lost a friend in october due to a teen driving and another teen forcing the driver off the road and into a river. i am 16, and i even think that the age restriction for driving should be 18.

robert king,

i think teens should drive at 16

bla bla,

they shouldnt get their license bacause they are not responsible enough.!!

bla bla,

they shouldnt get their license bacause they are not responsible enough.!!

sabrina,

thats correct

Alexandra,

My sister has her permit. She's 15 but will not be driving driving until 17 or 18 probly. She is the most responsible 15 year older I've ever known. Im sure you guys think I'm byest but not all teens are bad. They should only be allowed to drive at age 18 though. We graduate, vote, and move out of the house at 18, why not drive at age 18???
think about that rowery!!!!

Walter,

To Sierra, I would agree if there was some kind of assurance that there would be two responsible teens in the car.

Unfortunately, graduated licensing tars every teen with the same brush. Just because some teens behave irresponsibly all have to pay.

Any one got ideas for a solution?

Sierra,

I think that teens should be allowed to drive other teens, because what if a teenager had an afterschool activity, and had no way to get home, but one of his/her friends was a teen, and could drive. It would be the only way he/she could get home.

jack nerod a (idiot),

im ned again your stupid my teen is a great driver

Ned,

My teen should drive. it should be about responsibility and behavior not age

ann,

all you people who have teenagers and cant wait for them to drive dont have a clue about how dangerous it is. I lost my son because of a teenage driver. if you knew this pain you would enjoy being the their taxi.

Nick J.,

i think that rather than blaming all teens for some teens mistakes people should determine weather or not their kids are responsible enough to drive or not regardless of who's in the car.

Yadira Gutierrez,

allowing teenagers to drive with other teens decreases the chance of more teenagers driving independently causing more accidents on the road.Most teens are responsible.There are some adults that commit the same mistakes or worse.

Sheri,

I really think this new law stinks. I have 2 teenage daughters. What happens when they go to a party and have a designated driver. There are going to be more people drinking and driving as you can't put 5 people in a car with one sober driver any more. I couldn't wait til they got their licence. i didn't have to drive them around any more or their friends pick them up. now that won't be happening. Adults have just as many accidents

Lily,

AMEN SARAH! (:

jas,

no cause teens love to drinkin and drivin and they just kill the person that they are drivin with

Kierah,

It is a different meaning when you see your friends doing wrong while driving with them. If you feel something in your body that feels wrong then you should get out. it will help save yourself and your friends if you do not want an adult. i'm calling it how i see it you can either deal with the truth because my friend died because she wanted to go out and party on night think about it!!!!!!!!

Sarah,

I THINK TEENS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE WITH TEENS BECAUSE YES THERE IS A GREATER RISK OF CRASHES BUT ADULTS COULD BE JUST AS ENXPERICED AT DRIVING AND COULD BE JUST AS LIKELY TO WRECK ...THERE SHOULD BE MORE FAITH IN TEENS THAT WE WONT GO OUT AND KILL OURSELFS JUST BC ONE TEEN GOT KILLED IN A WRECK DOSENT MEAN EVERYOHTER ONE WILL...

austin,

i think teens should ride with teens

rowery,

i think teens should not be able to drive until atleast 21.
teens are ruining america.
and the world.

god be with us.

cjmollylooly,

other teens should not drive with irresponsible teens

yamaha887,

Teens SHOULD NOT ride with other teens as soon as they get their license. Probation periods are needed because the teen death rate will decrease by 20% according to AAA, in the 16-17 year olds

chao565,

well what if they had an adult then it would be ok

cassidy,

no teens should not ride with other teens


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