New Law Proposed to Curb Fatal Car Accidents Involving Teen Drivers
The Alabama House of Representatives voted last Thursday to place tougher restrictions on teen drivers. The new bill will require 16 and 17 year old drivers to be off the roads by 10:00 p.m. on the weekends and 11:00 p.m. on the weekends. The new law is designed to make Alabama roads safer. The bill was proposed after a number of recent fatal accidents on Alabama roadways by teen drivers. According to the sponsor of the bill, Mac Gipson of Prattville, teen drivers make up fifteen percent of all highways deaths but only six percent of drivers are teens. Thus, teen drivers account for a disproportionate amount of fatal accidents on Alabama highways.
I am concerned that this law will give law enforcement more reason to target younger looking drivers, and I am not sure of its effectiveness. I do know, if this law was around when I was a teen, my love life would have suffered greatly. I think a more appropriate measure would be to mandate longer permit periods and better driver's education programs. If a teen were to get his driver's permit at 14 and have two years of driver's education, fatal accident on Alabama roadways involving teenagers would decline without the draconian measures advocated by the Alabama legislature.
