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The Test of Time-Graduated Driver Licenses by Sarah R. Constein

On February 21, 2003, my son Cory’s sixteenth birthday, I found myself standing in line at the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. We stepped to the counter where Cory carefully completed the application for a learner’s permit. He then sauntered off to take the written test while his father and I patiently awaited the results. When he reappeared a few minutes later we didn’t need to ask if he had passed. Triumph oozed from every pore even though he did his best to appear calm, cool and collected. After a few minutes more at the counter, he walked toward us while carefully inserting a small, folded card into his billfold. He had his learners permit. The next day I sat in the passenger’s seat (desperately gripping the dashboard) as he lurched around an empty parking lot. Suddenly, the true implication of that neatly folded card occurred to me. I had a new appreciation for Pennsylvania’s Young Driver’s Law, a graduated driver license system which was implemented in 1999 (“What”). Graduated driver licensing programs are designed to provide new drivers time to hone their skills slowly before becoming fully licensed. According to the Advocates for Highway Safety website, 35 states and Washington DC have implemented some form of a graduated driver license program. Other states have incorporated some aspects of the system (“Fact Sheet”). Available statistics from states using these provisions have shown promising results in the decrease of teenage accidents and fatalities. Even in states without theses laws, parents can use a similar program when teaching their teenagers how to drive. Graduated driver license

2 programs, whether implemented as state laws or implemented by parents, save lives and should be used to train young drivers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. They found that “Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death amount 16-19 year olds. Forty percent of deaths in 16-19 year-olds in 2000 occurred in crashes” (“Fatality Facts”). There are several factors which contribute to these statistics. The first is inexperience. Diana Lynn of Mothering magazine reports that, “Driving skill is not even the primary issue”. Teenagers typically are “coordinated,” have superior response times, and are often well trained. What they lack is experience –and with experience comes judgment. (Lynn). When my family drove from Pennsylvania to Wyoming last August we witnessed first hand how inexperience and poor judgment can affect a young driver. We found a beautiful stretch of two lane highway in Minnesota. I thought it would be good practice for my son so we traded places and I supervised as he tooled down the road. I could not have asked for a more perfect opportunity; a clear sunny day with very little traffic on a well maintained road. I was confident he could handle it. In the distance I spotted a large piece of tire tread in the middle of our lane (we call these alligators in PA). I warned Cory about the obstacle and he assured me he saw it. Since there were no cars in the other lane, I expected him to change lanes and avoid the tire. As we got closer to the object I began to get nervous, “Watch the alligator,” I said. “I know Mom,” he replied with a roll of his eyes. “It’s under control.” Before I could say anything else we hit the alligator head-on. The van jolted and swerved into the left lane as the piece of rubber scraped along the underbelly with a horrific noise then smacked the rear bumper before spinning across the road. Cory blanched and I could tell he was badly shaken. I advised him to pull off to the side so he could calm down and we could check for damage. When I asked why he didn’t

3 change lanes to avoid the alligator, he said he thought the van would clear it. It had not occurred to Cory change lanes, and I had underestimated his judgment. Even though he is inexperienced he has been driving for six months and, in some states, could be fully licensed. Another important factor is distractibility. Teenagers engage in a variety of other activities when driving. This is not an activity limited to teenagers, however, more experienced drivers know their limits. On my very first solo trip after getting my driver’s license, I was driving a car load of friends to the movies. They were joking and laughing around so I glanced in the rearview mirror to see what was so funny. I took my eyes off the road and rear-ended the car in front of me. Shortly after that, I sideswiped a parked car because I was trying to change the radio station while driving. I was lucky, these incidents were both minor and no one was hurt. As I gained more experience, I learned what my limitations were and when I could safely engage in another activity while driving. I still enjoy the occasional drum solo on the steering wheel, but if it is raining or if I am in an area with unfamiliar traffic patterns, I turn the radio off because I know driving requires my full attention. As these examples illustrate, poor judgment, lack of knowledge, and distractibility can result in losing control of a vehicle. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, other factors that contribute to teenage crashes and fatalities include driver error, driving at night, driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, and failure to use seat belts (“Beginning”). When behind the wheel of a powerful machine, how many chances will young drivers get to make a benign mistake? It only takes one bad decision to result in a fatal accident. In Pennsylvania, prior to 1999, a driver with a learner’s permit could get a license as soon as he or she successfully passed a driving test. The fifteen minute test was conducted on a closed course at the Pennsylvania State Police Barracks and supervised by a stern, intimidating police

4 officer. This accepted method of testing did not take into account hazards or distractions. The test did not include animals dashing in front of the car, sudden ice storms, accidents, poorly marked roads, or other drivers. In addition, the officer did not crack jokes, toss a ball around, climb in the back for a soda or engage in playful fisticuffs with other passengers. The presence of the officer also deterred the driver from engaging in distracting behavior during the test. Passing the test on a closed course with a police officer in the passenger seat is not a true test of the driver’s abilities or experience, yet, Pennsylvania driver licenses were issued by the millions based on this test. There is a big difference in the ability to correctly maneuver a vehicle on a closed course and in the ability to deal with the distractions, unexpected conditions and emergencies of real life. Graduated driver licenses will not stop accidents or fatalities from occurring, but they will allow young drivers to become more experienced before they drive solo. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, graduated licensing allows teens to “get their initial experience under lower risk conditions and [introduces] them in stages to more complex driving situations.” These programs usually begin with a learning period that requires adult supervision, limits driving to daylight hours, and forbids passengers. The next step is an intermediate license which allows “unsupervised driving only in less risky situations.” As the young driver gains experience, they eventually qualify for a “full-privilege license” (“Crash Risk”). Katie Thomas, a staff writer for Newsday, reports that states with graduated driver license programs have seen a decrease in teen crashes. In California, “the rate of crashes among 15-17-year-old drivers dropped by 5.3 percent.” Other states have had even greater success. Oregon’s crash rate “among 16-and 17-year old males dropped 16 percent” and “Florida saw a 26 percent decrease in crashes involving 16-year-olds, and a 33 percent decrease for 17-year-

5 olds” (Thomas). Dee Ann Durbin of the Sun-Sentinel says that “crashes involving 16-year-old drivers dropped 27 percent between 1999 and 2000, while fatalities dropped by 58 percent, according to a 2002 study by the Pennsylvania Department of transportation” (8A). Clearly graduated licensing makes a difference in the crash rates and fatalities among young drivers but not everyone agrees with these programs. Some believe that graduated licensing infringes on the rights of young people. Others feel it creates an undue burden on parents who must take time out to chauffer their teenagers to jobs or activities. Still others feel these programs are too difficult to enforce. I asked my son, Cory, and his friend, Bryce, what they thought of graduated licensing. Cory, who just turned seventeen in February and has been driving on a learners permit for a year now, thinks that parents should have the ultimate say in when their children are ready to drive solo. Bryce, who turned sixteen on April 25, thinks that a state mandated graduated license system is a good idea. He has concerns that parents will allow teens to drive before they are ready. I agree with both young men, parental involvement and state mandated graduated driver licenses would help to ensure that young drivers would gain valuable experience before earning a full license. Both options will make our roads safer for everyone. As a parent who moved from a state with a graduated licensing system to one without, I plan to follow the guidelines of Pennsylvania’s plan. I think the benefits of this system far outweigh the disadvantages. Although it is sometimes inconvenient to have to chauffer Cory around, and often we have to juggle schedules, I really don’t mind, after all it is only for a couple of years. Parents are the first line of defense in protecting their young drivers; however, state laws that hold parents and their young drivers accountable ensure an overall improvement in highway safety for all drivers. I look at it this way; my son will have the rest of his life to drive

6 solo. A little inconvenience now to help him become a more experienced driver is certainly worth it.

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Works Cited “Beginning Teenage Drivers.” IIHS-HLDI Crash Testing and Highway Safety. 19 Apr. 2004: Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute. 21 Apr. 2004. . “Crash Risk is Lower Among Teens Subject to Core Provisions of Graduated Licensing.” IIHSHLDI Crash Testing and Highway Safety. 20 Jan 1999: Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Highway Loss Institute. 21 Apr. 2004: < http://www.highwaysafety.org/ news_releases/1999/pr012099.htm>. Durbin, Dee-Ann. “Letting Teens Step to License Cuts Collisions.” Sun-Sentinel. 19 Feb. 2003: 8A. SIRS Researcher. ProQuest. Hinkley Lib., Northwest Coll., Powell, WY. 21 Apr. 2004. . “Fact Sheet: Graduated Licensing.” Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. Jul. 2003: 25 Apr. 2004. . “Fatality Facts: Teenagers 2002.” IIHS-HLDI Crash Testing and Highway Safety. 19 Apr. 2004: Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Highway Loss Institute. 21 Apr. 2004. . Lynn, Diana. “Keeping Teenage Drivers Safe.” Mothering Mar./Apr. 1998: 48-51. SIRS Researcher. ProQuest. Hinkley Lib., Northwest Coll., Powell, WY. 21 Apr. 2004. . Thomas, Katie. “Teens: Sager Drivers Ahead?.” Newsday 4 Oct. 1998: A7+. SIRS Researcher. ProQuest. Hinkley Lib., Northwest Coll., Powell, WY. 21 Apr. 2004. .

8 What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s New Young Driver’s Law. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Harrisburg, PA. Jan. 2003.