NSC, traffic foundation releases blueprint to reduce teen driver crashes

The National Safety Council, together with the Traffic Industry Research Foundation, recently released a blueprint calling for a three-step, multi-year driver licensing system for teens.

The Graduated Driver License implementation strategy is outlined in the report, A New GDL Framework: Planning for the Future, and would apply to all new drivers younger than 21 rather than those 18 and younger.

Recommended requirements include:

• Mandatory in-vehicle technology to track practice hours
• A full ban for one year on transporting passengers and driving at night
• Mandating that parents spend at least 50 hours supervising their teen drivers
• Using license plate decals to identify first-time license holders
• Attending ongoing driver’s education courses

“Rather than the existing patchwork system across the nation, we must identify and adopt ALL of the most effective interventions if we are committed to reducing the death toll on our roadways,” Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of NSC, said in a press release.