Strict new license requirements in store for teens

LYNN – Dreams of life in the fast lane will soon come to a screeching halt for teenaged drivers on Sept. 1, as strict new requirements become mandatory for teens to obtain their license to drive.In 2006, the Legislature increased driver’s education requirements for teens to get a license, along with tough penalties for offenses committed by young operators.The current age to obtain a license is 16 1/2, with a holding period of six months to broaden their skills behind the wheel.The latest requirements include 40 hours operating a vehicle with a parent or guardian – 30 hours if an advanced course is taken – six hours observing and 12 hours behind the wheel.Parents are also now required to participate in two hours of a 30-hour driver’s education course with their child in order to become acclimated with the latest guidelines.Eric Fallis, owner of Ringer’s Auto School at 271 Western Ave., said while the new requirements are strict, they are necessary to properly instruct young drivers.”The difficulty of the actual driver’s test will be increased and teenagers will have to demonstrate all of the skills such as a three point turn, driving in reverse, parallel parking, hand signals and others,” he said. “It will be much more comprehensive.”If an operator under the age of 18 is caught with passengers in their vehicle without a guardian, or is operating a vehicle between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m., they will be issued a 60-day suspension as a first offense, a 180-day suspension for the second offense and a one-year suspension as the third offense.Permit holders face the same restrictions as Junior Operators behind the wheel.”Everything is coming to a head and its scaring people to death,” Fallis said. “No auto schools want to see kids get injured?we want them to become better drivers.”In the event an operator is caught drag racing, he or she will be given a $250 fine, one year suspended license and a $500 fee to reinstate the license as a first offense. A second offense carries a $500 fine, three years suspended license and $1,000 to reinstate the license.As a first offense for speeding 10 mph over the limit, a 90-day license suspension and a $500 fee to reinstate the license is issued. A second offense carries a one-year suspension and a $500 fee to reinstate the license.”I had one kid come back to the school with a letter who had just taken a road test that said he was going to lose his license because he got one speeding ticket,” Fallis said. “However, in some ways, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because kids still haven’t grasped the idea of wearing a seat belt and they drive way too fast and flip their SUVs.”Fallis, who said he has been training teenagers to learn how to drive for 14 years, said the number of fatalities has dramatically increased over the years due to speeding and reckless driving by teenagers.”The number of accidents has gone down slightly, but the fatalities have gone up in the age group,” he said. “So now because of the legal changes, kids will truly have a probationary license and can lose their licenses quickly and very easily.”Still, Fallis, who said his auto school has been in operation since 1946, thinks the new guidelines may be too harsh.”In a way I think they are strict because these regulations have been in effect since November 1998, but they weren’t very lightly enforced,” he said. “The laws weren’t taken very seriously back then and now the kids have to deal with them two fold.”In addition to the penalties, Fallis said written driver’s tests would soon be administered at the Registry of Motor Vehicles instead of auto schools. Registry inspectors will also be administering driving tests in the near future instead of the State Police.”It’s all designed to enhance teenagers’ ability behind the wheel so that they know more and do more,” Fallis said.