It's all part of a graduated driver's license (GDL) that Indiana adopted in 1999. GDLs, used in various forms in more than 30 states, add steps to the licensing process to ensure teens have enough driving experience to be safe.
In 2004, drivers ages 16-20 nationwide caused three times as many crashes as older drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that per mile driven, the rate of crashes for 16-year-old drivers is 10 times higher than for those ages 30 to 59.
In Indiana, teens make up 4.8 percent of the driving population but are responsible for 14 percent of all crashes, according to state statistics.
So state experts -- including driver's ed teachers and two governor's councils -- are advocating changes in Indiana law, which they say has a lot of room for improvement.
NHTSA statistics for 2004 rank the Hoosier state as 22nd among the 50 states and District of Columbia for the number of crashes by drivers ages 16-20. Indiana has more crashes by young drivers than nearby Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
It's not possible to compare states with total accuracy. Each state has its own challenges, ranging from large numbers of drivers to winding mountain roads to city traffic. Indiana's abundance of rural roads contributes to crashes.
But even if the measuring stick isn't perfect, "It makes sense for us to put restrictions" on teen drivers, says Indiana state Rep. Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington, a longtime proponent of traffic safety.
A study by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Injury Research and Policy released in July linked strong GDLs with fewer fatal crashes for 16-year-old drivers. Most states that implemented strict teen driving laws saw a decrease in crashes by 16-year-olds of 11 percent to 32 percent, the study says.
"We don't have a true graduated driver's license in the state of Indiana. We have a probationary license, which is some part of that," says Stan Henderson, an associate professor of health safety and a 30-year teacher trainer for driver education at Indiana State University.
"We are hoping by maybe July 2008, something might be in place that will put us closer to the standards other states have adopted that has resulted in lower crash and fatality rates for teens," he says.
In addition to IDEA, the Indiana Teen Driving Task Force and Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving have been examining state laws for teen driving. Both groups are commissioned by the governor and are made up of various representatives from insurance groups, police and fire departments, universities, hospitals and other organizations concerned with driving safety.
As the father of two daughters who went to private school, Wyss understands the inconvenience of restricting teen driving, especially for carpools.
But the bottom line is "not only are we trying to save that kid's life, but we're trying to save the kids riding with them, we're trying to save the car they might hit that could be carrying you and me."
He sees the value of tightening some requirements such as lengthening the time between permit and full licensing, and requiring a set number of hours for practice driving.
Though Charles Schramm is a believer in driver's training courses, mandating driver's ed is not on the list of IDEA's proposed changes. There's no evidence to show driver's ed reduces teen crashes.
Still, in Indiana, only half of eligible teens take driver's ed, according to Stephanie Berry, who heads up the state Teen Driving Task Force. And she doesn't think that's good.
Police enforcement and prosecution of teen drivers is also key, says Dan Jeffries, a former police officer who's now the director of the traffic safety division of the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving.
"Enforcement has to come from the top down," he said, listing prosecutors, sheriffs and chiefs of police as being critical to setting the tone for police officers on the road.
Jeffries pointed to the annual cost of traffic fatalities in the state -- $3.4 billion in tax dollars for lost productivity, court and emergency costs, and Medicare and Medicaid expenses.
Though other states have restrictions on teens driving with passengers, Michigan has left that issue up to parents, and Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land sees no reason to change that law, a state spokeswoman said.
"The thing that concerns me is a large groups of kids causing a distraction ... when they're riding together and not paying enough attention," she says.
"We have to have responsibility of the young person," he says. "We have to have commitment from the instructor, we have to have commitment from the parents, and we have to have good examples from the community."
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