Minnesota hits speed bumps on the road to restricting teens’ nighttime driving
Perhaps Minnesota is a little late coming to the table, but the legislators in the Land of 10,000 Lakes last week took
the next step toward passing a law limiting teenagers from driving during early morning hours.
The state Senate on Monday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would restrict teens under 18-years-old from driving between midnight and 5 a.m., unless to school or work for the first 6 months they have a driver's license. (The House already has approved its own version of the bill, according to the Grand Forks Herald.)
Sleep experts already know that teenagers have their own sleep-related problems. Between their circadian rhythms often not matching school and family schedules and the ensuing sleep deprivation, serious consequences can result.
AAA statistics indicate teenagers between ages 15 and 17 are involved in about 974,000 crashes, injuring 406,427 people and killing 2,541. The overall cost to society tops $34 billion annually.
Graduated license programs, such as the one proposed in Minnesota, reduce teen crash rates and the severity of injuries.
Numerous states-Pennsylvania, Maryland, and others-have had these so-called Cinderella laws for years. (Yours truly faced a state-imposed curfew when first gripping the wheel) Both California and Illinois caught some slack for tightening their curfews earlier this year.
In Minnesota, though, the governor has announced he will veto the law. A parental opt-out is imperative, Governor Tim Pawlenty told sponsoring state Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, reported the Star Tribune.
What's your vote?