WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Legislators Propose Limiting Teen Driving (Hartford-WTNH) _ A bill before a legislative committee would clamp down on some driving privileges for teenager drivers in Connecticut. Some doctors and parents are urging lawmakers to put the new restrictions on young drivers. Doctors say teenagers are involved in a lot of auto accidents because of their inexperience behind the wheel. News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer reports... Steven Eaton, Bristol: "Inexperience in young drivers kills them." Steven Eaton knows from personal experience, back in 1995 his son Neil along with his best friend died after crashing into a tree. It happened just 20 days after his 16 year old son got his license. Eaton: "I'm ashamed to say at the time I didn't think about the immense responsibility I handed to Neil." The Bristol resident testified in favor of a bill that would restrict 16 and 17 year old drivers. First of all there would be a nighttime restriction prohibiting driving between midnight and 5 am unless supervised by a parent. It would also have a passenger restriction that says the driver would be prohibited from transporting more than one passenger under 20 unless accompanied by an adult. Teens we talked to had a mixed reaction to the proposal. Jonathan Durdan, Avon: "Teens are getting into more and more accidents. It would cut down on the accident rate." Mallory Shwab, Avon: " I don't think it seems fair to put out a curfew....what someone would be doing." Under the bill, exceptions would be made for teens who have to drive to work or school. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Legislators Propose Limiting Teen Driving
(Hartford-WTNH) _ A bill before a legislative committee would clamp down on some driving privileges for teenager drivers in Connecticut. Some doctors and parents are urging lawmakers to put the new restrictions on young drivers. Doctors say teenagers are involved in a lot of auto accidents because of their inexperience behind the wheel. News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer reports...

Steven Eaton, Bristol: "Inexperience in young drivers kills them."

Steven Eaton knows from personal experience, back in 1995 his son Neil along with his best friend died after crashing into a tree. It happened just 20 days after his 16 year old son got his license.

Eaton: "I'm ashamed to say at the time I didn't think about the immense responsibility I handed to Neil."

The Bristol resident testified in favor of a bill that would restrict 16 and 17 year old drivers. First of all there would be a nighttime restriction prohibiting driving between midnight and 5 am unless supervised by a parent. It would also have a passenger restriction that says the driver would be prohibited from transporting more than one passenger under 20 unless accompanied by an adult.
Teens we talked to had a mixed reaction to the proposal.

Jonathan Durdan, Avon: "Teens are getting into more and more accidents. It would cut down on the accident rate."

Mallory Shwab, Avon: " I don't think it seems fair to put out a curfew....what someone would be doing."

Under the bill, exceptions would be made for teens who have to drive to work or school.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.