School Administrators Overwhelmingly Oppose Increase in Driving Age.

FRANKLIN, Mass. -- A survey of Massachusetts high school principals and other administrators and school officials indicates that they are overwhelmingly opposed to increasing the driving age as a means to curtail highway accidents involving young drivers. In a letter to members of the Massachusetts Legislature they recommended instead an overhaul of drivers education and training, especially by adding more on-the-road experience to the present requirement.

The Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association (MSSAA) , the professional association for high school and middle school principals, surveyed its Board of Directors along with the Directors of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Massachusetts Secondary School Athletic Directors Association.

More than 80 percent of the respondents opposed current legislation to raise the age for a junior drivers license from its present level of 16 and one-half. "We recognize the tragic effect of death and serious injury resulting from auto accidents involving teenaged drivers," Dr. Eileen Erwin, MSSAA President and principal of Danvers High School, said. "Unfortunately we have had to deal with it all too often. However, we do not believe raising the age is the way to address this problem. The difficulty it will bring to our schools, students and their families outweighs any potential benefit."

Educators cited a lack of evidence that raising the age will have the desired effect as one of the main reasons for their opposition. Also cited is the effect it would have on students ability to participate in extra-curricular activities such as athletics, drama clubs and bands. The fact that many students need to drive to after school jobs was frequently cited.

Vocational students who currently use cars to get to their cooperative jobs would be unable to do so, causing the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators to fear that many of their programs. would have to be cancelled. Others pointed out that adding the young people who now drive to school to those requiring bus transportation will impose a significant cost increase for additional buses.

By a similar 80-plus percent survey respondents recommended significant changes in the way young drivers are prepared to qualify for a drivers license.

Among their suggestions for addressing the problem were:

--Improving the driver education training program and requiring more on-the-road experience;

--Adding more restrictions to the use of a junior license including changing the hours it is valid;

--Stricter enforcement of the laws governing junior license use including making it a "primary enforcement law".

--Penalties for the parents or automobile owners who allow a junior operator to violate the law.

Many respondents cited the fact that junior operators are an entrenched part of our culture with parents, schools and employers who assume that the ability of a young person to use a car is an integral part of our lives.

In summary they cautioned against making a quick emotional reaction to several recent accidents that will have long term negative effects without really solving the problem.

The Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators' Association represents the interests of 1,100 principals and assistant principals in high schools and middle schools throughout the Commonwealth.