Teens constantly want to control what they do, including driving.

A new proposed law seeks to restrict their control in that arena.

SB 1347, approved by the Senate Transportation Committee, would forbid young motorists from steering the wheel between midnight and 5 a.m. during the first six months they are licensed.

It also would prohibit the driver from having more than one other person in the car who is younger than 17.

What does this mean for today’s youngsters? No late-night visits, parties or social gatherings with friends during school lunch hours or weekends.

Whether legislation would make a difference in the choices teens make is questionable.

In this case, lawmakers are simply finding another way to pick on teens.

Their concern is understandable.

In 2004, drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 accounted for 20 percent of all Arizona crashes.

A teen with another teen in a vehicle is 39 percent more likely to be in an accident than if driving alone, a AAA lobbyist told state lawmakers last week, citing a study from the University of North Carolina.

Other statistics show that death rates increase with each additional passenger.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that a teenage boy driving with another teenager is more likely to speed and tailgate than when he drives alone.

Some would believe discipline should be between the young driver and the parent, not the law.

But Dale Norris, executive director of the Arizona Police Association, says decisions for youthful drivers have to be protected in state law, not left for parents to decide.

Parents often don’t know what their children do when they leave the house, he says.

Several other states are beginning to crack down on teen drivers.

In Colorado, nearly 6 percent of drivers are 16 to 20, but that group accounts for more than 11 percent of all traffic deaths.

To curb such death tolls, phone use while driving is prohibited in Colorado, as well as in Delaware and Tennessee.

Wyoming requires 50 hours of supervised driving during the learner’s stage, while Maryland increased its requirement to 60 hours.

Arizona is far behind these numbers, asking for only 25 hours to get fully licensed.

Maybe that’s why, in terms of overall traffic safety laws, the National Emergency Nurses Association ranked Arizona the worst in the nation, largely because it does not have an effective graduated licensing system.

If SB 1347 takes effect in Arizona, first-time violators would face a $75 fine and have driving restrictions extended an extra 30 days beyond the six-month permit stage.

What’s in it for teens? Under this bill, youths could obtain a learner’s permit one month earlier than under current law – an added plus to eager teens.

In addition, authorities would not be able to stop a vehicle just to see if the motorist was under age, driving too late or traveling with too many fellow teens.

But when young drivers get behind the wheel, new laws created with an iron fist aren’t likely to help.

Teen columnist Andres Cano is a sophomore at City High School. E-mail: ndrs_cano@yahoo.com

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