I live in beautiful, sunny California. California, according to Reader’s Digest has one of the toughest laws for teen driving. Just this month, driving while talking on a cell phone has been made illegal for teens. I am still under provisional until February (which marks my twelve month mark) which means I can’t drive from 11 PM to 5 AM. This is probably a good thing, but it gets really annoying when I want to go to a Brad Paisley concert and I can’t drive myself because I won’t get home in time. I also can’t drive with friends in the car. My twin sister is an exception. Do these laws help? Absolutely. I was incredibly annoyed at first, but I guarantee I drive a lot better without my friends in the car. I do believe these laws are necessary in all states. I believe they might have saved my life.
Teen driving is scary. It's the #1 killer of teens. Do I think that me getting my license was a horrible idea? Absolutely not. I think it’s necessary teens take responsibility. Driving teaches responsibility. Yes, it’s dangerous but there’s ways to prevent fatal car crashes. The bad news is I’m going to have to stop speeding …
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
Maddy, it sounds like you're a pretty sensible teenage driver, which helps. Many teenagers aren't like that. They are the ones who end up in trouble with speeding tickets and accidents.
I'm glad California has a law now restricting cell phone use in the car. My son has stopped calling me while driving, and I hope my daughter is the same when she's there in college.
2 - Timothy Smith
Maddy,
I appreciate both your candor and your responsible approach to driving. You're a good example for your peers. Keep up the good work and good driving!
Timothy Smith
author, Crashproof Your Kids: Make Your Teen a Safer, Smarter Driver
3 - Phillip Winn
Maddy, I wouldn't ride in your car, no way.
That's primarily because of the country music, though. Can't stand the stuff!
4 - Christy on Troubled Teens
It's really great that you know your limits behind the wheel. It should be one thing that most teens who drive should possess. As a parent, it would be comforting to know that my teen is a responsible driver. Especially after reading a lot of news about teens getting killed because of their drunk or texting friends who are handling the wheel. I wouldn't want my kid to be involved in anything like that and become a troubled teen or get killed in the end. Thank you for sharing your views on the matter. Young people nowadays should learn from you.