CURBING TEEN DRIVERS; PROPOSAL SETS LIMITS ON TIME, PASSENGERS.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer For Taft High School junior Isabel Abolian, driving means cruising with her girlfriends to the mall and to late-night parties. But if state Sen. Tim Leslie has his way, Abolian's friends may have to find another means of transportation. The Roseville Republican's bill to severely restrict the privileges of new teen-age drivers comes up for a vote Monday in the state Senate. Under Senate Bill 1329, 16- to 18-year-old drivers would be prohibited pro·hib·it tr.v. pro·hib·it·ed, pro·hib·it·ing, pro·hib·its 1. To forbid by authority: Smoking is prohibited in most theaters. See Synonyms at forbid. 2. from transporting their peers for a period of six months upon receipt of their license. They also would be banned from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. for one year after getting their license. SB1329 carries penalties of up to 100 hours of community service and a $50 fine. ``They can't tell us who to put in your car and who not to. Your friends depend on you,'' said Abolian, 17, as she watched carloads of teen-agers parade by outside the Woodland Hills campus. The measure is not intended to be punitive pu·ni·tive adj. Inflicting or aiming to inflict punishment; punishing. [Medieval Latin p  n , said its main
proponent One who offers or proposes.A proponent is a person who comes forward with an a item or an idea. A proponent supports an issue or advocates a cause, such as a proponent of a will. PROPONENT, eccl. law. . ``The motivation is simple: to save lives,'' said Leslie, who was approached by the American Automobile Association American Automobile Association (AAA), federation of American automobile clubs, est. 1902. AAA provides a number of benefits to its members, including emergency road service; national and international travel assistance, e.g. to pursue the bill. ``The age group targeted here represents about 4 percent of the driving public and 9 percent of the fatalities on the road.'' National highway statistics show that while 16- to 19-year-olds constitute only 7 percent of drivers, they are responsible for 14 percent of fatal crashes, and 20 percent of all crashes. Leslie said that the measure sailed through the Senate Transportation and Appropriations committees In the United States government, the Appropriations Committee can refer to either:
``I think we have a law here,'' Leslie said. But American Civil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), nonpartisan organization devoted to the preservation and extension of the basic rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution. officials denounced the bill as ``shortsighted'' legislation that gives police another tool to unjustly search motorists and their cars. ``I can appreciate the sentiments behind the proposal, but it's very shortsighted short·sight·ed adj. 1. Nearsighted; myopic. 2. Lacking foresight. short  sight ,'' said Sam Mistrano, legislative
director of the ACLU ACLU: see American Civil Liberties Union. of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, .
``If police see any suspicious activity they have the power to stop motorists. It gives police more power and it's not needed. This is the wrong way to go about it,'' said Mistrano, who suggested raising the age limit for drivers or increasing the difficulty of driving tests to weed weed, common term for any wild plant, particularly an undesired plant, growing in cultivated ground, where it competes with crop plants for soil nutrients and water. out unsafe motorists. Key among the bill's provisions: Ban on 16- to 18-year-olds driving with other teen-age passengers for the initial six months they have their licenses, unless there is a person 25 or older in the car. The only exception would be driving a sibling sibling /sib·ling/ (sib´ling) any of two or more offspring of the same parents; a brother or sister. sib·ling n. with a parent's consent. Ban on the same group driving between midnight and 5 a.m. for a year after receiving a license, unless there is a person 25 or older in the car. Requirement that a parent or legal guardian spend 50 hours practicing with their child - 10 of the hours after dark - before the teen earns his or her license. ``This bill does not delay by a day when you can get behind a wheel and drive that car,'' he said. Tell that to P.J. Gabayan, a Taft High School senior on his way to join a friend in a beige beige n. 1. A light grayish brown or yellowish brown to grayish yellow. 2. A soft fabric of undyed, unbleached wool. adj. Light grayish-brown or yellowish-brown to grayish-yellow. Nissan Maxima The Nissan Maxima is a car manufactured by Nissan that is in a line of upper mid-size executive and sports sedans. The Maxima debuted in 1976 as an upscale version of the Bluebird and was spun into its own line in 1980, having been made continuously since then. . He sees the bill as just one more way to restrict teens' freedom. ``It's unfair,'' the 18-year-old said. ``We've got to have our fun. As long as we stay out of trouble, they shouldn't hassle us.'' Natalie Schaeffer, a 14-year-old ninth-grader at Taft High School, said the proposed law would make it easier for teens to break the law. ``If you're going to a party you would have to bring 10 different cars and everyone would get tickets'' for violating parking restrictions, she said. Maria Taylor This article is about the musician. For the British missionary to China, see Maria Jane Taylor. Maria Taylor (born May 21, 1976) is an American singer/songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama. , also a 14-year-old ninth-grader, said the proposed law would be difficult for police to enforce. ``People are going to do it anyway,'' she said. ``Do they expect us to walk home at midnight because we can't catch rides home?'' Others suggested increasing the driving age limit rather than restricting teen motorists to make enforcement easier. The bill has ``good intentions but if they want to enforce it, they shouldn't issue licenses to 16-year-olds,'' said Sharon Partow, an 18-year-old senior at Taft High School. But Leslie has at least one teen on his side. Michelle Walton, 17, said she supports the bill's ban on teens transporting their friends. ``I totally agree,'' the Taft High School senior said. ``It's not a good thing because it causes too much traffic and too many accidents.'' CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1--color) A teen-age driver and friends make their way through the Ralphs parking lot across from Taft High School in Woodland Hills as school lets out Friday afternoon. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News (2--color) ``It's unfair. We've got to have our fun. As long as we stay out of trouble, they shouldn't hassle us.'' P.J. Gabayan, Taft High senior (3--color) ``(The bill) has good intentions but if they want to enforce it, they shouldn't issue licenses to 16-year-olds.'' Sharon Parlow, Taft High senior |
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