Posted on 05/19/2006 8:32:12 PM PDT by devane617
May 18, 2006
Albany -- There is talk of raising Georgia's driving age to 17 or 18.
Why? Because so many teenage drivers are killing themselves-- and others. Six thousand teen fatalities in the United States last year. The biggest threat to their well-being seems to be distracted driving. So what can we do to protect them from themselves?
Teens behind the wheel give new meaning to multi-tasking. Phones, CD players, and friends, distract young drivers-- who can least afford it.
Stephanie Phillips has, not one, but two teenage girls. 16-year old Amore is already driving. and 15-year old Charity is just beginning. Stephanie worries about driving distractions. "They're young and they're carefree, and nothing can happen, they think."
They think, but they're wrong. "The accident rate has been basically off the scale." Bill Hammack is the continuing education director at Albany Tech and is in charge of the driver's education program. "They lead the pack when it comes to, statistically, more of them get injured and killed than any other category of people that drive in the United States."
Every day, he and his instructors try to convince teens the importance of focusing on their driving. "Driving is a full-time endeavor, not something that you can pay attention to part of the time. You've got to be on top of the game all the time when you're driving."
In Albany Tech's driver's ed classes, students spend 40 hours learning the rules of driving. "Most of them, believe it or not, know how to drive. The big challenge is getting them to pay attention to what they're doing when they're driving," says Hammack.
What they're doing when they're driving, he says, is the problem. "Cell phones, I-Pods, changing CDs in their dash player, all those things are big distractions."
Big distractions that worry Stephanie Phillips. "The thing is not getting so caught up in the fun activities going on in the car with your friends, you know, the radio going, the dancing.
So, like many other parents, she has rules. "Seat belts are a must for every person in the car. No speeding. Be off your cell phone, which I think is probably one of the hardest to abide by."
And she's right. "With the cell phone issue, I mean, I answer my cell phone because it rings, and my cell phone is, like, my life," said Amore'.
"Cell phones are right at the top of the list. Or, right now, it's called distracted driving," said Hammack. Distracted driving that we, as parents, are partly responsible for. "I think we have failed. We have not built that pay attention factor into driving because we've been guilty of it ourselves."
So what can be done to make teen drivers safer? "Senate Bill 226 states all 16 year olds must have completed driver's ed before they can be licensed in the state of Georgia," said Hammack.
Beginning January 1st, driver's ed classes will be mandatory to get a Georgia license. "If they don't understand the hazards and how to recognize them, they're never going to be in the position to minimize those hazards or avoid them altogether," he said.
Avoiding hazards is something Amore Brock knows about. "You gotta be aware of that and be aware of your surroundings because anything can happen even if you're doing everything right."
And everything right includes buckling up. "It's just standard, you know. It's seatbelt on and you know if the person beside me doesn't have it on I make sure they have it on," says Charity.
Right now, there are more than 4,000 14 to 16 year olds in Dougherty and Lee Counties alone. They'll soon be on the roads, driving. That affects us all. That's why it's up to us all to help them. "Everyone that comes in contact with these youngsters has got to make them see somehow that the hazards are there and those hazards are 'gonna bite you if you don't accept responsibility as an adult driver," says Hammack.
Adult driving responsibilities that may one day be reserved for adults. "I can see the driver's age, if things don't get better soon, maybe going to 17 or 18 years of age before they're even allowed to drive."
If that happens, Georgia will become the strictest state in the nation for teen driver's licenses. A law change that won't affect the Brock girls, but it could well be the key to saving young drivers' lives.
When I finished a series of driving lessons and got my regular license 27 years ago the driving instructor offered some words of profound wisdom: "You might have your license but you really are still learning. You won't be a real driver until about two years from now when you have experienced winter, heavy rain, and all sorts of other conditions. You might have your license but you're still a beginner...and will be for a couple more years."
Yeah, and if you notice, they all seem to look up or way to the side when they are on it.
And not ahead.
What amazes me about people like that are how they just raise hell on anyone randomly. What if you had been a psycho with a pistol on you? For someone to go around showing their rage to everyone, someday they will eventually do it to the WRONG person and bad things will happen.
That's what I tell my husband, a road rager..always thinks another driver is either racing him or messing with him. He had an anger problem years ago, got help, overcame it, is the nicest guy...but road rage remains.
Yeah, and that's why I've become a LOT more careful in my old age. But it still astounds me what I see one time. There was a big Christian meeting here one time. As it was letting out, I was going down the highway, actually entering it. Imagine my surprise when I saw a car coming UP the entrance ramp because of the traffic. Then I had to dodge a dozen or two more coming up the same ramp. Holy cats!! The next time there was something like that I stayed the hell away. :)
In some ways because of the way children was rasied in the 40-50's they had more respect for their fellowman.
Today it is the indifference towards their neighbor which the young today express!
"Boy it's amazing just how much your attitudes change when you get older."
My dad (an attorney) made me ace "his" driver training written test and take and ace a driving course (1958) before he would allow me to take the state exam and get licensed at 16. I busted my butt.
He paid for the driving course - we started "racing" in autocrosses and gymkhanas (spring twisters) - parking lot courses after I was licensed. Big carrot!
I always thot he was being a hard @ss - however it has paid off in many ways - non the least of lowering the probibility of his liability in a law suit while I was "learning".
I have had 3 moving violations in 45+ years. Been in one at-fault-accident and that involved my use of a cell phone while in stop and go traffic 6 months ago. I don't do that no more - split seconds are beyond me now.
At 64 my reflexes are slowing down - and I still occasionally feel the need for speed.
He was right and saved several persons lives by forcing me to know my machines and my personal limits.
I am looking forward to my next driver training session at Sears Point this summer - I pay for them now - He's gone and left me with a good habit.
Good training for licensed kids - know what you have and how to keep out of harms way. Not to mention the reality check!
I would go for 18. Sixteen was okay for rural, agricultural life. Because there was not much to run into when you were 16 and stupid. But nowadays - too many cars, too many people.
NO, They're not. Asian females (all ages) are absolutely the worst.
"NO, They're not. Asian females (all ages) are absolutely the worst."
I must concur - I don't know how the Asian female mind works - even after being married to one - their operation of a multi-ton vehicle leaves me speachless - same for Asian female pedestrians - almost nailed on as she ran across 100 yards from the crosswalk - carrying her plastic shopping bags - between stoppped cars and appeared in my clear lane - woah - love the BMW ABS system - a few more years on my brain and body and I would have probably nailed her. Where the hell do they think they are? - In rual China? Thailand or Malaysia?
I made my Thai wife hire a driver - beyond his Wyeing to temples (take hands off wheel and clasp hands at the forehead and bow) as they passed - he was relatively safe ...
if we raise the age to 18(which i'm against even though I will have 3 new drivers in the next five years in my family)
How will teens date?
How will they get to work?
How will they learn to drive so that when they turn 18 they will be "experienced".
How can we say "your old enough to get a job, pay taxes, be a parent, join the military and shoot people but not mature enough to drive!"?
Life is dangerous, people(teens included) will always be killed doing just about anything. We cannot legislate total safety and we shouldn't even try.
"I have always thought 16 was to young to drive."
I don't mind them raising the minimum age for a license just as long as they'll agree that 16 is old enough to consent to sex ;-)
I must temper that with one sister-in-law - Thai - that operated her vehicle with grace and aplomb - a VW minibus that she loved - maybe that is the key. It was her workhorse and source of income (Xporting clients) vs. "personal Xportation"
You're kidding right? The same way they did before they could drive: bikes, public transit, adult drivers or walking.
There are folks who get through life without driving.
I took my father's keys when it was clear he was no longer safe driving. Despite his strokes and other medical problems, the CA DMV never cared and did not lift his license even when his health and incapacity was reported.
"How will they learn to drive so that when they turn 18 they will be "experienced"."
Put them in a driving school - Sears Point is good on the left coast we're talkin cheap with the potential cost otherwise - there are others - they can drive there own cars or "formulas" - whatever your pocketbook has -
Perhaps, but there isn't but public transport where I am at. Plus I don't think I would like the idea of a big ole pulpwood truck hitting my daughter on her bike as she is hoofing it 20 miles to go to the movies. My parents starting driving and running the roads at 13 and 14 for goodness sake. Times have changed since 1920.
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