NY Lawmakers Push For New Nationwide Teen Driving Standards
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - Two federal lawmakers from New York are proposing tough standards for teens to get a driver's license.
WCBS 880's Catherine Cioffi with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
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Car crashes are the number one killer of American teenagers and that's why Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Tim Bishop are pushing the Safe Teen And Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act (also known as the STAND UP Act).
"To ensure the safety of our teen drivers, we need higher standards for driver's licenses," Gillibrand told WCBS 880 reporter Catherine Cioffi.
The act would set a national standard for states to implement a graduated driver's license program.
That would include a 3-stage licensing process, prohibit night driving in the beginning two stages, and restrict passengers and cell phone use.
Gillibrand says, "When we give our children more time to learn the rules of the road, they will be better, safer drivers, and most importantly, we will save lives."
Gillibrand and Bishop said more than 280 New Yorkers died in car accidents involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers from 2005 to 2009, and more than 46,000 were injured.
Also, Gillibrand's office released the following information broken down by geographic area:
In New York City, 32 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 5,056 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In Western New York, 18 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 4,922 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In the Rochester-Finger Lakes region, 37 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 4,233 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In Central New York, 33 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 3,512 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In the Southern Tier, 14 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 1,849 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In the Capital Region, 36 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 4,462 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In the North County, 25 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 1,539 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
In the Hudson Valley, 45 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 9,008 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
On Long Island, 48 people died in car accidents involving 16 and 17-year-old drivers, in addition to 12,143 that were injured, from 2005 to 2009.
