Police, teens, insurance officials weigh in on driving age

Many say raising limit is unnecessary

By Laura Mead

ESCANABA - In the wake of a national insurance group's effort to convince state legislators to raise the legal driving age - local police, insurance agents, driver's education teachers and teens waiting to get behind the wheel - weigh in on the issue.

Currently, motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of death among U.S. teens, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They account for 36 percent of teen deaths.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) wants to push the legal driving age to 17 or 18.

Unsurprisingly, local driver's education students hate the idea.

"I think it's stupid because either way we're going to get our license at one age," said Jess Way, a ninth-grader and driver's education student.

Ninth-grade driver's education student Kyle Horowitz said his mom is looking forward to the day he gets his license.

"My mom works at the mill and it's hard for her to work around her schedule to drive me places," he said.

Many also believe Michigan's driver's education system works the way it is.

"I believe Michigan has an excellent system right now with the mandatory training and graduated driver's licensing system," said Delta County Sheriff Gary Ballweg. "It calls for a lot

of hours with the parents and I think they're the best teachers."

Local driver's education Instructor Ward Johnsen said he thinks the change is unnecessary in Michigan because the state follows a graduated drivers education program that means teens can't get their full license until their 17th birthday.

Michigan also recently changed the program so students are required to go back to the classroom a second time. During these six hours of class time, students are taught risk awareness, such as the distractions of cell phones and other passengers. Afterwards, students take a road skills test. On their 16th birthday they can receive their restricted license, which means they can drive on their own, except between midnight and 5 a.m.

Delta Driving School Instructor Al Hansen said this is the point when the risk of an accident is highest.

"(16-year-olds) don't have the experience yet," he said. "Studies have shown that at this at this age, their brains aren't fully developed, especially their ability to make quick, split-second decisions."

According to the IIHS studies, the risk of motor vehicle crashes is highest at age 16, and the crash rate per miles driven is twice as high for 16 year olds as it is for 18 and 19 year olds.

Ballweg said he hasn't noticed this trend in Delta County.

"I don't think (the accident number is) any different than any other age group," he said. "We haven't seen that here."

Hansen said requiring a second segment of driving with an instructor could help prepare students drive on their own.

"This would allow instructors to see their progression, and see which areas they need help on," he explained.

Local insurance agent Mike Sands added lengthening the period when a young person's driving is restricted could be a possible solution. He said he can see both sides of the issue.

"From reports we see in my job, there's a stark contrast for fatalities for young people and more experienced drivers," he said.

"I certainly see (the auto safety group's) point. Although, I don't completely agree with changing it, because you get experience by being behind the wheel and just waiting another year without experience behind the wheel won't do any good."