Tennessee among worst in teen car deaths

Sunday, 08/19/07

Tennessee among worst in teen car deaths
License restrictions haven't cut fatalities

By JOY BUCHANAN
Staff Writer

Tennessee teens are dying in automobile crashes at a higher rate than in most states, data show, bringing into question the effectiveness of restrictive state laws in place since 2001.

Studies show that strongly restricting teen driving privileges saves lives — cutting death rates by 25 percent of more — because they protect teenagers from themselves. Tennessee's graduated driver's license law is comprehensive, but a few local experts say it might not be stringent enough.

Tennessee ranks 44 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia for driver deaths among 16- to 19-year olds, with 50th signifying the highest rate.

Age limits, night-driving restrictions and mandatory driver's education are methods states use to save lives. Tennessee's law allows:

• Learner's permits at age 15 instead of 16 as recommended by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the source of the data.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070819/NEWS07/708190388