Mar 27, 2006 5:55 pm US/Eastern
State Considers Crackdown On Junior Drivers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 5,000 teens and young adults die in car crashes every year and thousands more are injured.
Concerned about the number of young people involved in accidents along Pennsylvania roads, state lawmakers are considering a crackdown on junior drivers.
In fact, if one state representative gets her way, teenage drivers may be facing some tougher restrictions.
State Representative Katharine Watson reportedly wants to stop junior drivers from having more than one teenage passenger in the car at a time.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (
Vol. 283 No. 12, March 22, 2000) found that "the risk of fatal injury for a 16- or 17-year-old driver increases with the number of passengers."
Watson's bill would also include several other restrictions, including more instructional time for new drivers.
Junior drivers are drivers aged 16- and 17-years old.
While Watson's bill is still in the draft stages, there are some things that parents can do to help keep their teenagers safe behind the wheel.
How Parents Can Help Keep Teen Drivers SafeSources: American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, American Automobile Association, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Safety CouncilPractice what you preach: Set an example of safe driving for your child
Restrict night driving & set curfews
Take an active role in your child's driving lessons – don't just rely on Driver's Ed classes to do the trick. Make sure they practice driving in all conditions
Make sure the vehicle is properly maintained
Prohibit drinking and driving under any circumstance -- whether your child is the driver or passenger. Tell your child to call home for a ride, rather than getting in a car with someone who has been drinking.
Consider having your teen sign a driving contract (see links below) before you permit him or her to take the keys
For more resources on keeping junior drivers safe on the roads, click on the links below:
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