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Politics & Government

Hultgren Launches Push for Nationwide Teen Driving Law

The proposed recommendation, modeled on Illinois' graduated driver's license program, would reduce accident fatalities across the country, congressman asserts.

As an Illinois state senator, Randy Hultgren supported legislation four years ago to set up a graduated driver's license program for drivers under age 18. Now, the U.S. representative is sponsoring a bill to spread the graduated license program across the country.

“The statistics are telling,” said Hultgren (R-District 14) during a press conference Wednesday at Geneva High School. “We know that motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 killer of American teens and that teen drivers comprise only 7 percent of drivers on the road, yet 20 percent of all highway fatalities occur in crashes involving teen drivers. Action must be taken to educate teen drivers and protect everyone on our nation’s roadways.”

House Bill 1515, the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act, would require states to enact a three-stage licensing process, including a learner’s permit period, an intermediate phase and an unrestricted stage. Drivers under age 18 would be restricted to one unrelated passenger in the vehicle at a time unless a licensed driver over age 21 is also in the vehicle. They also would be forbidden to use cell phones while driving except in emergency situations.

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The bill would allow the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to impose other restrictions, such as a minimum time spent driving under a learner’s permit before taking the license test; at least 30 hours of supervised driving experience before taking the test; and automatic delay of full license status if the teen driver is convicted of a traffic offense.

Teen drivers in Illinois already must meet those requirements, except that they must log 100 hours of supervised driving time before getting their licenses.

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“Between cell phones, GPS devices and satellite radio, today’s teen drivers are facing more distractions than the teens of prior generations,” Hultgren asserted. “Simply acclimating teen drivers to the responsibilities and rigors of the road saves lives, and graduated driver’s licensing is a proven method to provide teens with the skills and experience they need to be out on the road safely.”

According to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, teen driving deaths fell by more than 40 percent within two years after Illinois implemented its graduated licensing program.

While the U.S. Constitution prevents Congress from requiring states to adopt graduated licensing, Congress can penalize states that refuse by cutting some of their federal highway funding, Hultgren said.

“It wouldn’t be mandatory—just a nudge and an encouragement for states to cooperate, like we did for the minimum drinking age and the zero alcohol tolerance laws. It’s recognizing that the interstate highways are under federal oversight,” he said.

Several other people spoke in support of the proposed law, including Libertyville native Charlene Sligting-Doud, whose father, John Sligting, was killed in a crash caused by a 16-year-old driver.

“The girl who killed my dad was talking on her cell phone with her mom, while she was driving after curfew, when she blew through a stop sign right in front of my dad’s motorcycle,” Sligting-Doud said. “He was wearing his helmet and chaps, but when he hit her car, he was thrown over it and landed across the street. She got a ticket for improper lane usage, a $500 fine and 100 hours of community service. My dad lost his life and never got to see his twin granddaughters, who were born shortly after the accident.”

“I know now that our brains aren’t fully developed until age 24, and that teens are less able than adults to handle cognitive distractions while driving. The longer a child waits before getting a driver’s license, the safer it is for everyone on the road,” Sligting-Doud said.

Geneva High School Principal Tom Rogers said he supports the bill.

“Graduated licensing has been a good program in Illinois,” he said. “I think it’s worked well for my kids. On that basis, I think it’s a good idea for the country.”

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