EDITORIAL
New rules for young drivers make sense

If you are (or happen to know) a responsible young person right on the cusp of winning his or her driver's license, a bill under serious consideration in the Legislature may seem unnecessarily harsh.

It would shift the age of eligibility for a full, unrestricted driver's license from 16 to 17. Before that, teenagers could obtain a special restricted license that would limit hours of driving and passengers.

But there are plenty of realistic and statistical reasons to suggest the change makes perfect sense. Combined with tougher education and training standards (which Hawai'i has already imposed) the new law is expected to have a significant impact on serious accidents and injuries involving young people.

In California, Michigan and Pennsylvania, for instance, studies suggest that crash rates dropped about 25 percent after the graduated license program was adopted.

It's true that young people and their families are busy today. And having a 16-year-old who can drive and help with family errands eases the logistical strain.

But even under the graduated system, 16-year-olds would still be able to drive to and from school, to the store or to after-school sports events. The restrictions apply at night and to the number of friends you can haul along with you.

Inexperience, which often translates into poor decisions on the road or bad judgment calls under pressure, accounts for a staggering number of traffic accidents. This sensible proposal would provide inexperienced teen drivers with gradual experience that will better equip them to make the right choices while driving — and that could ultimately save lives. It deserves support.