on, and no driving between midnight and 6 a.m. without authorization . The hours between 9 p.m. to 6a.m are the most common time for accidents involving teenagers, “accounting for forty-one percent of teenage automobile accidents in 1997(CNN).” The program also uses color code licenses and a mandatory successful completion of a driver education course. Some violations can be waived depending on the circumstances if the teen writes a 3 thousand word essay on safe driving. “There are three stages in graduated licensing: a supervised learners period; an intermediate license (after passing the driver test) limiting unsupervised driving in high risk situations, and a full privilege driver’s license given only after the first two stages are completed” (NHTSA). The NCUTLO (The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances) model law calls for a minimum of six months in the learner stage and a minimum of six months in the intermediate stage with night driving restrictions. A new driver also has restrictions on the amount of passengers allowed at a given time and the beginning driver must drive a minimum number of hours before they can receive their license. All beginners need time to sharpen their skills and this program gives just that. Driving is a skill that is harder to acquire than most teens think and they cannot learn how to drive overnight. It takes time to mature into a responsible decision-maker. Today’s teens seem to lack the maturity and responsibility needed to safely operate an automobile. Most teens say that the system is not fair because it keeps teenagers from obtaining a license. It is easy to appreciate why teens feel this way, until you consider the statistics. They show over 6000 teens, aged 15 to 20, died in car collisions last year (nhsta). Risk taking is at an all time high and when teens take the time to gain more experience behind the wheel chances are they will have...
