Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Nov 19, 2007 10:08:51 GMT -5
N.J. searches for way to make teen drivers safer
www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071118/NEWS/711180355
By JOHN MAJESKI
STAFF WRITER
Joe Bartonek, 16, hopped into the white Chevrolet Cobalt and gripped the wheel at 10 and 2.
It was a rainy weekday afternoon, and the Edison teen settled in for a lesson with his driving instructor on rights of way, lane changes and how to avoid hydroplaning. Bartonek hopes the practice will not only help him earn a license but also aid him in becoming a more complete driver, too.
"I just want to be alert and do better," he said.
Do better is exactly what experts and state officials want for all young motorists these days. Data has not painted a flattering picture of that demographic: According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens.
And while the state in 2001 enacted a graduated driver's license program restricting when and with whom 16- and 17-year-old teens can drive in an effort to reduce the number of tragedies, fatality figures have gone skyward. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 33 16- and 17-year-old teens perished in traffic accidents in New Jersey in 2006, up 37 percent from 2001's number of 24.
State officials are on the case -- though precise solutions so far are elusive. Gov. Jon S. Corzine in March announced the creation of a Teen Driver Study Commission to drum up ways to improve safety figures. On Monday in Colts Neck, the commission will hold the first of three hearings where the public will be invited to share their thoughts and ideas on what can be done.
"It's a big problem, teen driving," said David Weinstein, who represents New Jersey's AAA clubs as a member of the commission. "We're seeing fatalities much too often."
Indeed deadly crashes have gripped headlines recently. In January, an accident in Freehold claimed the lives of four people -- an Old Bridge woman and three teens. Two other teens were killed Easter Sunday after the car they were riding in swerved from Route 18 in East Brunswick and struck a tree. They likely were cut off by another vehicle.
Experts point to several issues, including poor enforcement of the Graduated Driver License rules. Under the plan, 16-year-olds can receive special permits but must drive with an adult in the car. At 17, a provisional license may be issued, and no supervision is required. In both cases, driving hours are restricted and only one person from outside the driver's household is allowed in the car.
A basic license is issued at 18.
Weinstein said many parents don't seem to enforce the rules because they don't know them.
"I don't believe they understand what a GDL is," he said. "Frankly, it's probably confusing."
Weinstein said another problem is law enforcement officials not being able to identify who is driving with a provisional license. A magnetic sign or sticker on the vehicle's license plate are among the ideas being considered by the commission to visually identify 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
"From our opinion, we have a very strong law," Weinstein said. "We need to work on enforcing it."
Weinstein said GDL violations unfortunately are seen by authorities as secondary offenses, meaning a vehicle cannot be stopped and ticketed unless another violation is witnessed.
Additionally, experts point to an overburdened court system that allows many young violators to avoid a driver-remediation program by pleading down tickets.
Feeling invincible
Of course, there might be psychological reasons for the traffic deaths, too, experts said. Many youths simply view themselves as immune to a deadly fate.
"The Superman complex," Weinstein called it.
How much does inexperience play into the driving habits of teens? If you ask Jennifer Ruszala, 18, of Edison, not much.
"It really doesn't," said Ruszala, who has been in three minor accidents. "It's a maturity level. If I'm in the car, I want to blast music and enjoy myself while sitting there driving, versus an adult who might put on soft music."
While distractions and maturity might play a part, Joe and Dina Giacomo, of the Edison and Accurate Driving schools, add that New Jersey's road test isn't adequate in preparing teens to join the motoring public. For example, drivers change lanes every day, though that isn't included on the test.
"We need a road test that's a road test," Dina Giacomo said.
The Giacomos, vice presidents of the Driving School Association of New Jersey, believe that parents should take a more active role, whether through instruction or monitoring that GDL laws are being followed by their teens.
The state's 15-member Teen Driver Study Commission is expected to issue a detailed report in the spring that includes recommendations for reducing teen crashes and saving lives.
The answer at this point, however, remains unclear.
"That's the billion-dollar question," Weinstein said. "We hope that we find that magic bullet."
www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071118/NEWS/711180355
By JOHN MAJESKI
STAFF WRITER
Joe Bartonek, 16, hopped into the white Chevrolet Cobalt and gripped the wheel at 10 and 2.
It was a rainy weekday afternoon, and the Edison teen settled in for a lesson with his driving instructor on rights of way, lane changes and how to avoid hydroplaning. Bartonek hopes the practice will not only help him earn a license but also aid him in becoming a more complete driver, too.
"I just want to be alert and do better," he said.
Do better is exactly what experts and state officials want for all young motorists these days. Data has not painted a flattering picture of that demographic: According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens.
And while the state in 2001 enacted a graduated driver's license program restricting when and with whom 16- and 17-year-old teens can drive in an effort to reduce the number of tragedies, fatality figures have gone skyward. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 33 16- and 17-year-old teens perished in traffic accidents in New Jersey in 2006, up 37 percent from 2001's number of 24.
State officials are on the case -- though precise solutions so far are elusive. Gov. Jon S. Corzine in March announced the creation of a Teen Driver Study Commission to drum up ways to improve safety figures. On Monday in Colts Neck, the commission will hold the first of three hearings where the public will be invited to share their thoughts and ideas on what can be done.
"It's a big problem, teen driving," said David Weinstein, who represents New Jersey's AAA clubs as a member of the commission. "We're seeing fatalities much too often."
Indeed deadly crashes have gripped headlines recently. In January, an accident in Freehold claimed the lives of four people -- an Old Bridge woman and three teens. Two other teens were killed Easter Sunday after the car they were riding in swerved from Route 18 in East Brunswick and struck a tree. They likely were cut off by another vehicle.
Experts point to several issues, including poor enforcement of the Graduated Driver License rules. Under the plan, 16-year-olds can receive special permits but must drive with an adult in the car. At 17, a provisional license may be issued, and no supervision is required. In both cases, driving hours are restricted and only one person from outside the driver's household is allowed in the car.
A basic license is issued at 18.
Weinstein said many parents don't seem to enforce the rules because they don't know them.
"I don't believe they understand what a GDL is," he said. "Frankly, it's probably confusing."
Weinstein said another problem is law enforcement officials not being able to identify who is driving with a provisional license. A magnetic sign or sticker on the vehicle's license plate are among the ideas being considered by the commission to visually identify 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
"From our opinion, we have a very strong law," Weinstein said. "We need to work on enforcing it."
Weinstein said GDL violations unfortunately are seen by authorities as secondary offenses, meaning a vehicle cannot be stopped and ticketed unless another violation is witnessed.
Additionally, experts point to an overburdened court system that allows many young violators to avoid a driver-remediation program by pleading down tickets.
Feeling invincible
Of course, there might be psychological reasons for the traffic deaths, too, experts said. Many youths simply view themselves as immune to a deadly fate.
"The Superman complex," Weinstein called it.
How much does inexperience play into the driving habits of teens? If you ask Jennifer Ruszala, 18, of Edison, not much.
"It really doesn't," said Ruszala, who has been in three minor accidents. "It's a maturity level. If I'm in the car, I want to blast music and enjoy myself while sitting there driving, versus an adult who might put on soft music."
While distractions and maturity might play a part, Joe and Dina Giacomo, of the Edison and Accurate Driving schools, add that New Jersey's road test isn't adequate in preparing teens to join the motoring public. For example, drivers change lanes every day, though that isn't included on the test.
"We need a road test that's a road test," Dina Giacomo said.
The Giacomos, vice presidents of the Driving School Association of New Jersey, believe that parents should take a more active role, whether through instruction or monitoring that GDL laws are being followed by their teens.
The state's 15-member Teen Driver Study Commission is expected to issue a detailed report in the spring that includes recommendations for reducing teen crashes and saving lives.
The answer at this point, however, remains unclear.
"That's the billion-dollar question," Weinstein said. "We hope that we find that magic bullet."