In my recent post entitled “Safe Teen Driving On The Front Page,” I reviewed a New York Times article that spotlighted teen driver passenger restrictions and vehicle decals, with a focus on New Jersey’s strict laws.  As most newspapers do today, the Times then offered readers space to comment on its article.  Below, some quotes from those comments, views that in my experience are typical of the perspectives advocated following articles about safe teen driving.

The first comment that caught my eye was this rant from a teen:  “My mother drifts all the time and my father takes his hands off the steering wheel, both pause to talk on the phone/lecture me while driving… and I’m supposed to the one in the family that needs to be watched over by the government?  It’s funny how the one group being targeted by my state’s politicians are the one group that is powerless to vote against them, isn’t it?”

From a driver who evidently supports graduated licensing:  “The world is full of teens who are selfish, arrogant, reckless, who aren’t regulated by their parents, who live in their own personal music video/reality show and put a text or song on their iPod before their own safety and others.  Therefore, the need for laws.”

One parent took aim at government intruding:  “How dare you project your parenting style onto mine?”

Another writer put a sharp point on the dangers of texting:  “Just like you don’t point a loaded gun at anyone you should not be allowed to text and drive.”

Responding to a comment from a parent who seemed dismissive of the dangers of teen drivers with passengers, a parent observed, “Do you think the accident your daughter might have with three of her friends in the car will only be a single car accident?”

A young adult argued: ” If I’d grown up under the more restrictive laws this article talks about, I don’t know where I’d be today.  I couldn’t have worked or participated in after-school sports or other activities that helped me become the responsible and successful adult I am today.”

And from another parent: ” To frame [teen driving] as an issue of individual liberty misses the mark because liberty presupposes a corresponding responsibility, which is exactly what is not yet fully developed in the teenage mind.”

One of the nice things about writing a blog is that you get the last word.  My responses to these comments:

—  As to teen driving laws being strict because teens can’t vote, I seriously doubt that any legislator takes into account that the people being regulated are only 16 or 17, if only because they will soon turn 18!

—  To the parent who took offense at government imposing on her parenting, I would urge that teen driving laws spotlight the situations that most often lead to crashes, and to see them as an imposition on parenting misunderstands the dangers of driving.

—  To the self-described responsible young adult whose development as a person would have been inhibited by strict teen drivers laws: graduated driver licensing does not inhibit employment opportunities or participation in school or community activities.  In fact, it protects teens from injury so their opportunities are preserved. Moreover, nighttime curfews typically exempt employment and school activities.  Passenger restrictions might make it more difficult on occasion for teens to get around town, but the inconvenience is minor and pales in comparison to safety.

— And to the person who reminded us that teen driving laws don’t curtail liberty but recognize that the teen brain is not fully mature, I say “Exactly.”

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