It’s tempting simply to accept that young drivers — those ages 15 to 24 — are more likely to die while driving than the rest of the population.
But Maine Secretary of State Charles Summers isn’t accepting those bad odds. Mr. Summers, who lost his first wife in a car crash 15 years ago, is hosting meetings around the state to listen to ideas for making young drivers safer.
The tragedy of the last few days, in which young people died on Maine roads, only strengthened his resolve to improve the odds. On Saturday, a 16-year-old girl and 19-year-old woman, passengers in a car driven by a 18-year-old woman, were killed when the vehicle crashed in West Paris. The driver was under the influence of alcohol and texting from her phone, according to reports.
Recent law made texting and driving illegal in Maine.
And on Sunday, a 19-year-old man was killed when the car in which he was a passenger crashed into a garage in Biddeford. Also on Sunday, a 20-year-old woman was killed in a single-vehicle crash near the Sugarloaf Ski Area. Speed was likely a cause in each.
There are quiet spells, then there are the tragedies of the last few days. In fact, the secretary of state’s office reports, 12 died in car crashes between Christmas Day and Jan. 9, and seven of those victims were young drivers.
Before the horror of recent headlines recedes, consider the national statistics: vehicle crashes are the leading cause of deaths among 15- to 20-year-olds. Sixteen-year-olds are three times more likely to die in a crash than the average of all other drivers. Sixteen percent of teen passenger deaths in 2008 occurred in vehicles driven by other teens. In fact, nearly 20 percent of passenger deaths came when a teen was driving.
In Maine, almost two young drivers die each month in Maine. More than 42 are injured in vehicle crashes each week.
We know why. Teens are are inexperienced behind the wheel. They are more likely to speed to show-off for peers. They are more likely to be distracted by peers who are passengers. They also are ill-equipped to manage their consumption of alcohol, which, of course, they are not legally able to possess or consume.
Maine has done much in recent years to address the problem. The license age was raised. New rules about driving without passengers, not using cellphones and not driving at night in the first months were adopted.
Mr. Summers hopes that driver education curriculum might provide one avenue through which changes can be achieved. He is soliciting other ideas at meetings at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the motor vehicle bureau in Bangor; Wednesday, Jan. 18, in Caribou; and Thursday, Jan. 19, in Calais.
Traffic deaths, even among young drivers, have been declining nationally. In recent decades, features such as air bags and anti-lock brakes make driving safer. At the same time, newer cars are easier to drive with just two fingers on the wheel. And sadly, there are more things to do with the other eight fingers — dial, text or mess with a smartphone or MP3 player.
The West Paris story raises another element of safe teen driving — the role of parents. Too many teens have their own cars or virtually unlimited access to cars. Too many parents are oblivious to teen drinking parties. They must be more vigilant, just as police must be more vigilant in writing tickets for speeding, texting and not wearing a seat belt.
Seems to me with all of today’s modern technology that the mfr’s. could incorporate a sensor in the phone so that when the phone senses an engine running and/or gps movement, that the phone would render itself useless. Until the engine was off or the movement was stopped.
Think about it! It took the auto industry what 20 some odd years to put airbags in autos and they save lives. We can fly UAV’s and drop bombs on foreign continents. The technology is out there it just has to be applied. But it will take Congress and/or an army of lawyers to get something like this changed.
Responsibility in life begins at home base. This young generation is the future of our country, and they need a lot of help.
I agree with part of your statement; “Responsibility in life begins at home base.” The only person responsible here is the fool that talks/texts and doesn’t pay sufficient attention to their driving. If auto manufacturers were forced by Congress to install the equipment you mentioned you would have two consequences; 1. Complaints that people’s freedoms were being violated and, 2. Complaints about the inevitable increase in the purchase price of vehicles. Again, I think it all comes down to individual responsibility, which is a rare commodity these days.
On a different note, I realize the girl in the picture isn’t driving, but isn’t it a bit ironic that she’s trying to make a point about the evils of cellphone use with a cellphone stuck to the side of her head?
I have reported several accidents and other situations, (probable crimes and unsafe drivers), to the police using my cell phone while driving. Under your plan I would have been unable to do most of these, especially the ones where I had to follow a vehicle to get the license # and provide information to the police on the other side of the phone.
I don’t understand the allure of text messaging, you know you can dial that same number and actually talk to the person. We need to prohibit the use of cellphones in moving vehicles and enforce it, make it very very financially prohibitive. Plus a mandatory suspension.
Sigh…yet another control freak who can’t handle individual responsibility
Maybe because too many individuals are acting irresponsible. It could be that if the control freak saves your life or one of your loved ones, you might be grateful. I hope and pray that you don’t have one of yours injured or worse because of the use of one of these devices.
The gps feature mentioned already exists. My Tom Tom one which is about 5 years old has a feature that when a speed of 20mph is reached it locks out users inputs until the unit registers movement has ceased. Cell phones could very easily have this feature and many newer phones already have gps loaded standard like my almost two year old LG triton. Sadly on both these devices this safety feature can be turned off easily. To make this feature mandatory is a going to have lawyers salvitating over who can sue first. Looking at how many laws enforce common sense and what should be no brainer safety issues, this is just another that will be fought tooth and nail either way.
Glad my Tom-Tom doesn’t have that feature. Slowing down to under 20MPH on the interstate to be able to change a setting isn’t safe either. Never mind that not even the passenger would be able to use it or their phone. How are these phones and GPS devices supposed to know it is the driver and not a passenger using them.
Just take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Duh…. can we hear or feel it… It’s the dreaded cell phone… has to be answered right away!
She is brave to stand out there with this sign…I would be afraid to get run over by a texting teen…for she is just one more distraction. It is a great message and PARENTS need to enforce & teach it big time, and be a good example to their kids…don’t tell them not to and do it yourself. :/
It’s not only the teens who are texting. Open your eye and look around. I had a SUV come at me one day while riding my motorcycle and it wasn’t a teen who was texting. This was someone old enough to have a teen at home!
I think that it is funny that this woman is on the phone holding this sign for one and two SHE is actually a distraction standing there holding the sign that in order for us “drivers” to know why we have to READ the sign while DRIVING….. Dont get me wrong i understand the point in this but still being a distraction yourself??
Many teens do not have enough impulse control to be safe drivers. Wonder if there is a way to test for it for 15 and 16 year olds?