House Republican Press Release

April 7, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REP. HOVEY EXPRESSES CONCERNS ON TEEN DRIVING LEGISLATION

Encourages Constituent Input On Issue

State Rep. DebraLee Hovey (R-Monroe, Newtown) today expressed serious concerns about legislation moving forward that would place new restrictions on new 16 and 17-year-old drivers and require parental involvement in their child’s drivers education classes.

Graduated licensing laws were designed to limit distractions for teenagers and help them develop effective driving skills. Under these existing laws, 16 and 17 year olds with learner’s permits and driver’s licenses can only initially drive with one parent or another licensed driver and for the next three months, only with other family members.

In addition to the passenger restrictions noted above, Connecticut’s graduated licensing law prohibits a 16 or 17 old who has an operator’s license or learner’s permit from driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless the person is driving for work, to a school activity, or out of medical necessity.

House Bill 5748, which has passed the Legislature’s Transportation and Judiciary Committees, may be revised if it is debated before the full House of Representatives, said Rep. Hovey. Currently the bill includes provisions that would:

Increase penalties for those drivers who are charged with racing, reckless driving, speeding and cell phone use; Require parents or guardians to attend 2 hours of driver training; Change the curfew of 16 & 17 year olds from midnight to 11:00 pm; Double, from 20 to 40 hours, of behind the wheel training that must include on the road training; Require seatbelts be worn by all passengers of vehicles being driven by 16 & 17 year olds. (Current law only requires front seat passengers and children in booster seats to wear seat belts)

“I have a number of concerns regarding this bill,” said Rep. Hovey. “I support increasing training hours and parental involvement but do not agree with the decrease in curfew time. Also, since police are unable to identify any provisional driver on sight, enforcing these laws is difficult if not impossible. I encourage my constituents to let me know their thoughts on this issue.”

Rep. Hovey can be reached at 1-800-842-1423 or by emailing: debralee.hovey@housegop.ct.gov.