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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 30, 2014 12:48 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Katharine M. Watson |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | National Teen Driver Safety Week Resolution Oct. 19 - 15, 2014 |
| National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW) which is dedicated to raising awareness and seeking solutions to unnecessary teen deaths on the road occurs this year from October 19 through October 25, 2014. Let us come together and focus Pennsylvania's attention once again on this serious issue. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults in the United States, and many of these deaths are preventable. The theme for this year is “Support Older Novice Drivers: Build Awareness of the Trend in Delayed Licensure.” Many youth delay getting driver licenses until after age 18 and do so mainly for economic reasons and not to avoid Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) requirements. It can be a practical, responsible choice for families, but there are things they need to know to keep young novice drivers safe. In PA as in most states, Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) provisions end by age 18. All novice drivers have a higher risk of crashing no matter what their age when first learning to drive. Individuals age 18 and over still need to prepare as if they are getting a learner permit. Behind-the-wheel training with a professional and designating an experienced licensed adult driver or two to supervise early driving in many different driving environments are excellent ways to train and keep young novice drivers safe. It is always a good idea to get between 50 and 120 hours of adult-supervised practice. Individuals should continue to practice independent driving under less risky conditions before driving in high risk situations and enlist an adult to ride along as a passenger to provide guidance in remaining difficult driving situations. In Pennsylvania in 2012, there were 105 teen driver fatalities and there were 7 deaths among 16 year old drivers. All were young people loved by their families – good kids full of dreams and hopes for long, meaningful lives. We all know of too many teen crashes resulting in death that have occurred in our own legislative districts. Through this resolution we can recognize “National Teen Driver Safety Week” and encourage the people of Pennsylvania to engage and empower licensed teen drivers in the Commonwealth to become safe skilled drivers. Please join me by adding your name to this resolution. |
Introduced as HR1083