In the time it takes to read this page, a teen driver will be killed or injured in a crash.
The epidemic of teen driver crashes is a major threat to public health and safety. More than 7,500 people are killed, and tens of thousands more are seriously injured, every year in the United States in crashes involving teen drivers ... that's more than 80,000 deaths since 1999.
Research has shown the benefits of licensing laws that gradually introduce new teen drivers to the responsibility and skills of operating a motor vehicle. We know which laws work to reduce crashes and save lives. However, state teen driving laws - often referred to as Graduated Driver Licensing programs, or GDL - still vary widely in strength and effectiveness from state to state. A national law is needed to close gaps in state laws and encourage states to upgrade weak GDL laws.
Federal legislation, H.R. 1895, the Safe Teen And Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act, has been introduced to ensure that every teen in every state is protected by an effective GDL law. The legislation is based on extensive research showing the success of GDL laws, as well as recommendations of the National Transportation Safety Board. The bill establishes minimum requirements for state GDL laws, rewards action with incentive grant funds, and - after 3 years - imposes a reasonable sanction or financial penalty to encourage states to meet those requirements. This approach is similar to the one Congress used to encourage all 50 states to adopt a Minimum 21 Drinking Age and the Zero Tolerance BAC law to combat underage drinking and driving. Both laws are credited with saving more than 25,000 lives since their adoption. When Congress enacted federal legislation using this approach every state acted by the deadline and no state lost a single dollar of federal highway funds. The STANDUP Act has the potential to save thousands of lives and it is time for Congress to act.
H.R. 1895 was introduced by Representatives Tim Bishop (D-NY), Michael Castle (R-DE), and Chris Van Hollen, Jr. (D-MD). This bill is supported by the Saferoads4Teens Coalition, a coalition of more than 110 national and local groups representing teens and parents, consumer, health, safety, and medical organizations, law enforcement as well as business leaders in the insurance and automobile industries. We need your help and support, too!
Please use the form to the right to contact your member of Congress about the STANDUP Act today.
Act Now! Send a message to your member of Congress today, urging support for the STANDUP Act. To take action, please fill out the privacy-protected registration form below to register on the website and take action. (We do not solicit or spam!)