Teen Driver law passed in Colorado

[flyangel2 2]

http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=652d736e-0abe-421a-00ba-e570617a44cb&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

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The new law makes it illegal for new drivers to have passengers younger than 21 in their car for the first six months of having their license. For the next six months they will be permitted only one underage passenger. Siblings will be an exception to the new law.

Not only do I have the Governor of Colorado saying the hospitals can't educate rapped victims on the morning after pill, but he also decides for me who my child can have in a car.

I'm a responsible parent and I have taught my children well. They are responsible too, but now the right to who can ride with them has been taken away

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[kelel01 1]

We've been doing that here for a while. I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea. Teens are MUCH more likely to be distracted if there are friends in the car.

[GARYC24 3]

I bet insurance agencies are already figuring out how to apply that law and increase insurance rates.

[flyangel2 2]

I have a rule with my boys, only one friend at a time in the car. I think I can make good decisions for my own children. I don't need the government telling me how to raise my boys.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[kelel01 1]

That's you. We had a rash of teenage-driving fatalities here that prompted the change in the law. Did anything like that happen in Colorado, that you're aware of?

And the OTHER teenage drivers on the road not having passengers in the car will make YOUR children more safe. It's not only the person at fault who dies, unfortunately. If it were, I doubt there'd be a law against driving drunk.

[jlmiracle 7]

Tennessee has something very similar and has for a few years.

Its graduated. Tennessee's laws are as follows:

Anyone under the age of 18 who has a learner permit will be prohibited from driving between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. When driving, permit holders must have a licensed driver age 21 or older in the vehicle with them. Seatbelt use is mandatory for everyone in the vehicle under the age of 18 (passengers age 3 and under must be in an approved child restraint device).

Under the GDL law, anyone under the age of 18 must have their Tennessee learner permit for a minimum of 180 days (approximately six months) before they can apply for an intermediate license. The minimum age for applying for an intermediate license is 16. BOTH of these requirements must be met before a minor can qualify for an Intermediate license.

restrictions for an intermediate restricted license?

Seatbelt use is mandatory for all vehicle occupants (passengers age 8 and under must be in an approved child restraint device as outlined in Tennessee's New Child Restraint Law).
Those with an intermediate restricted license can only have one other passenger in the vehicle
UNLESS:
* One or more of the passengers is age 21 or older and has a valid, unrestricted license;
* The passengers are brothers and sisters, step-brothers or step-sisters, adopted or fostered children residing in the same house as the driver and going to and from school AND the intermediate restricted license holder has in their possession written permission from their parent or guardian to transport their siblings.

Those with an intermediate restricted license are prohibited from driving between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
UNLESS:
* They are accompanied by a parent or guardian;
* They are accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older who has been designated by the parent or guardian. This designation must be in writing and be in the possession of the teen driver;
* They are driving to or from a specifically identified school sponsored activity or event and have in their possession written permission from a parent or guardian to do this;
* They are driving to or from work and have in their possession written permission from a parent or guardian identifying the place of employment and authorizing the driver to go to and from work;
* They are driving to or from hunting or fishing between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. and have in their possession a valid hunting or fishing license.


For once I'm glad I'm old(er).

Judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[flyangel2 2]

Haven't heard about any rash, what would classify a rash? 2, 4, 20?

I'm upset because it feels like a right has been taken away from me. I can't help it if there are some parents that don't know how to parent, but why should my children suffer because of them?

Judy, we do have limits on learning permits. I really didn't read your whole post (really too long for me this late at work)

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[jlmiracle 7]

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I really didn't read your whole post (really too long for me this late at work)

I didn't read my whole post either - just cut and paste.

Judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[kelel01 1]

Ours was something like 12 students in one school year, just in the metro area. That's a fairly significant number (to me). 5 of them burned to death inside of a van that had crashed into a tree.

I do have an internal conflict going on here, though. I want people to be safer, but I'm also very big on personal freedoms. I guess I just don't think it's some giant, tragic loss of freedom to have to drive by yourself or with family members, when it could save parents from the trauma of losing children.

Of course, we don't want everything regulated, but there are helmet laws for motorcycles and even bicycles. There are seat belt laws. You can't drive drunk or high. Driving just happens to be more regulated than a lot of other activities, for safety purposes.

[flyangel2 2]

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I do have an internal conflict going on here, though. I want people to be safer, but I'm also very big on personal freedoms.

So, the parents that don't set guildlines for their kids, fucked it up for my kids It looks to me that my personal freedom has been taken away

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[kelel01 1]

Some people honestly don't know that piling 5 people into a car leads to distractions that new drivers can't handle.

Or they think that they're special, and that "they won't have a problem".

But, another one of the wrecks was 5 girls who had sneaked out in the middle of the night, and they drove down a dark road into a tree, killing three of them. Their parents didn't even know they were gone until they got "the call".

[flyangel2 2]

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But, another one of the wrecks was 5 girls who had sneaked out in the middle of the night, and they drove down a dark road into a tree, killing three of them. Their parents didn't even know they were gone until they got "the call".

So, you don't think that those girls wouldn't have done the same thing, even with a law that says they can only have one person in the car? Afterall; they did sneak out and break one of their parents rules.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[JohnnyD 0]

Let me just say its about time something worthwhile came out of the Colorado legislature.
I'm sure your boys are excellent drivers. That would put them in the minority of the entire population of this state, not to mention their own peer group. In all the places I've lived, I've never seen worse drivers as a whole and I've never seen more teen fatalities in auto accidents. Driving isn't a freedom, its a privilege and also a big responsibility. I hope this will help teenagers in CO ease into that responsibility a little better.

[Jimbo 0]

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I can't help it if there are some parents that don't know how to parent,

And that is, unfortunately, exactly the kind of thing that drives laws like this. When we fail to act responsibly the government will step in a legislate responsibility for us every time. Every single time.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[TomAiello 25]

But the government always knows what's best for you...and for your children. Don't they?

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[flyangel2 2]

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But the government always knows what's best for you...and for your children. Don't they?

Yea, right!

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[lawrocket 3]

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When we fail to act responsibly the government will step in a legislate responsibility for us every time. Every single time.

Yep. You know, teenagers are usually fairly safe drivers when they are by themselves. But when they get in the car with their friends and buddies, they often drive like assholes. I know I did it. I just got lucky and didn't screw up big or get caught.

At least they excepted siblings from it...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Lindsey 0]

That's a damn shame. Growing up used to be so much more fun that it is now. I don't know how many times I had the muffler welded back onto my 74 convertible bug. 10 people in a bug (top down) is hell over the bumps....lol. Never lost anybody though. Safety is all fine and good, but you can't grow up in a bubble either....imho.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[larsrulz 0]

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Driving isn't a freedom, its a privilege and also a big responsibility.

I think this is important to note. If someone wants to drive on state and federal roads, then they should expect to follow the laws laid down. The government tells you how fast you can drive, and I sure don't want everyone on the road driving 120 mph, because 90+% of them can't handle that! Hell, half of them can't handle 55!

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[markd_nscr986 0]

Mar,

You or your teens arent the problem..........

It's the other 70% or so that create the situations that cause the carnage on the highway.

So when a majority of the parents fail to act in regards to what their teen does in a car........

You pay the price.........

Personally,I would like to see something done with adult cell phone use while behind the wheel

I have had several close calls on my 2 wheeler from idiots gabbing away on cell phones while driving

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[jakee 1,259]

It's not about taking away freedoms, its about legislating one of the most dangerous road user groups.

If you want parental freedoms do you think the gov't should get rid of the minimum age for drivers licences? That would give you more freedom, but it would scare the living shit out of me.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[kallend 1,648]

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Let me just say its about time something worthwhile came out of the Colorado legislature.
I'm sure your boys are excellent drivers. That would put them in the minority of the entire population of this state, not to mention their own peer group. In all the places I've lived, I've never seen worse drivers as a whole and I've never seen more teen fatalities in auto accidents. .

I guess you haven't been to New Mexico, then.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[unformed 0]

in one of my drivers ed classes we were told that statistically it's middle aged drivers that are actually the worst drivers, since they've got so much stress in their lives.

Yes, a lot of teenage drivers drive like assholes. So do a lot of adults. A lot of old people are pretty close to blind. However, they'll never be able to pass a law requiring vision tests every year after you're, say, 80 years old. Not a chance in hell, because they are very vocal part of the voting population. Teenagers can't vote, so they have no say.

This ad space for sale.

[flyangel2 2]

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At least they excepted siblings from it...

What's the difference if you are friends or siblings? Siblings don't horse around with each other? If the new drive is at such a high risk, then let's allow a brother or sister in the car to distract them and kill off two kids from the same family.

I just don't get the logic

Johnny D:

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Driving isn't a freedom, its a privilege and also a big responsibility.

I agree, hence my older son had to earn it.

Marc:

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Personally,I would like to see something done with adult cell phone use while behind the wheel

That won't happen, because those drivers are of voting age and have a voice. Nope, let's pick on the young people and say they are the cause of the problem, not the parents.

jakee:

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If you want parental freedoms do you think the gov't should get rid of the minimum age for drivers licences?

I personally wouldn't have a problem with that, since I'm a responsible parent and know when my boys are mature enough to start driving or not.

unformed:

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A lot of old people are pretty close to blind. However, they'll never be able to pass a law requiring vision tests every year after you're, say, 80 years old. Not a chance in hell, because they are very vocal part of the voting population. Teenagers can't vote, so they have no say.

Great point. My grandfather was so bad; he could only do right hand turns, so his route to church every morning was all right turns. A great example of how bad he drove and was aware of his surroundings, was one time he pulled into the carport at the apartment complex he lived in and scraped the whole side of his car on a cement pole. He didn’t notice anything till my mom and I walked out to his car and pointed out the damage. Then he swore that someone else had moved his car, because if it was him hitting the pole, he would have noticed. That’s when my mother pulled his drivers license.

Not only do the older drivers need to have a new eye test, they need to be given a new road test. The way old people drive scare me more then any teenager.

The driving force behind this law in Colorado was a woman who had lost her son in a car accident. I have never lost one of my boys, so I can’t even image the pain she is going through, but she really needed something else to fill her time. This new law won’t bring back her son.

I’m curious to see how many accidents will still involve a number of teens in a car. Just because there is a law to prevent the number of teens in a car, I don’t think teens will follow the law, and I’m sure there are parents out there that will have no idea how many kids are in their child’s car driving around. Passing a new law isn’t going to make the bad parents suddenly become more aware of what their teens are doing.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[kallend 1,648]

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in one of my drivers ed classes we were told that statistically it's middle aged drivers that are actually the worst drivers, since they've got so much stress in their lives.

Yes, a lot of teenage drivers drive like assholes. So do a lot of adults. A lot of old people are pretty close to blind. However, they'll never be able to pass a law requiring vision tests every year after you're, say, 80 years old. Not a chance in hell, because they are very vocal part of the voting population. Teenagers can't vote, so they have no say.

Teens (15-20 year olds) make up less than seven percent of the general population but account for fourteen percent of all car accident cases. Car accident teen statistics show that a teenager is four times more likely to be killed in an auto accident than are people aged 25 to 69. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans aged 15 to 20.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.