New IIHS study produces scientific evidence showing parents want strong, effective GDL laws for their driving teens
A new national survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) on the views of parents of 15-18 year olds reveals astoundingly high levels of support for stronger driving laws including raising the age for learner's permits and licenses for beginning teen drivers, as well as more stringent nighttime driving and passenger restrictions.
"Lawmakers should take this survey into account as they look to strengthen graduated licensing systems at the state level and as they weigh a bill to create a federal model," said Allan Williams, the study's lead author and former head scientist at IIHS. "Findings suggest many parents would accept licensing rules that go beyond the proposed STANDUP Act's provisions."
The survey questions asked 1200 parents about the components of state graduated driver licensing programs. As recognized in the IIHS report, the strength of state laws varies widely, and some state laws "haven't kept pace with the latest research." Legislation to remedy this situation and establish minimum national standards for graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems, the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection or "STANDUP" Act (H.R.1895 and S.3269), is pending in the U.S. Congresss.
Key findings of the survey include the following:
Two-thirds of parents surveyed want learner's permits to be issued starting at age 16, not before [STANDUP calls for 16 as the minimum learner's permit age.]
More than half of the parents surveyed think the minimum age for the unsupervised, or intermediate driving phase of GDL should be 17 or older; the same number want the learner's permit period to last at least a year. [STANDUP would have learner's permits last for at least six months, then nighttime and passenger restrictions in place during the unsupervised driving period until age 18.]
60% support supervised driving requirements for new teen drivers of at least 50 hours, with 40 percent saying 100 or more hours. [STANDUP leaves the decision about required supervised driving hours to a U.S.DOT rulemaking.]
90% of parents want a nighttime driving restriction, most of whom would have it start at 10 pm or earlier. [STANDUP calls for a nighttime restriction but does not specify the hours, also to be determined by rulemaking.]
89% want passenger restrictions, with the largest majority of those saying teens should be allowed only one non-family passenger [STANDUP calls for one non-familial passenger allowed during the unsupervised phase.]
The IIHS "Status Report" summarizing the report findings states, "As Congress considers a bill to create a national graduated driver licensing system, the Institute's findings suggest the time is right to strengthen laws aimed at lowering the risks teens face during their early years on the road."
Authors of the study feel the findings are particularly relevant for the appropriateness of STANDUP in Congress. Anne McCartt, IIHS senior vice president for research, said, "We were surprised at how tough moms and dads said they want the laws to be, and we think parents are ready for upgrades."
|
Have YOU taken action yet?
|
