The number of license suspensions of drivers under 18 has soared over the past year because of a tough new law aimed at curbing bad driving habits by junior operators. About 3,000 drivers age 16 and 17 had their license or learner's permit suspended between March 31, when the law took effect, and early December, according to data from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. About 1,700 junior operators lost their license or permit during the same period in 2006.
Fatal crashes with junior operators behind the wheel dropped from 27 in 2006 to 17 last year, according to preliminary year-end numbers from the Registry. The tally counts the number of accidents in which there was a fatality, but not how many people died or who was at fault.
The new law stiffened the punishment for many moving violations and required mandatory driver training after suspensions. Teenage drivers now face a suspension ranging from 90 days for a first-time speeding ticket to one year for a second or later offense. Fines and fees required to get the license back can cost up to $1,000.
"It is exactly what we were hoping would happen," said Senator Steven A. Baddour, chairman of the Transportation Committee, who pushed the bill requiring tougher penalties. "We knew as soon as one kid got pinched, every kid in his school would know about it, and it would have an impact."
Source: Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/09/teenagers_feeling_sting_of_tougher_driving_laws/
Having lived in Massachusetts for some 15 years, I had plenty of opportunities to complain about its government, ranging from taxes to goofy laws. That being said, my hat's off to Mass. for implementing these tougher teen driving laws! Teen drivers in Massachusetts are no different than anywhere else. But, if you've ever been in rural areas of the state–which is most of it–you know how treacherous the roads there can be. Tree lined roads are everywhere. (And, by tree-lined, I mean literally, that trees are just a couple feet from the road. Year after year, you can find reports of teen drivers who have lost control of their vehicles and died from impacting a tree.) Speed is often a huge factor in teen crashes. So, I'm all for the state attempts to motivate teen drivers to keep to the speed limit. Could this be a good model for other states to follow?
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