Some pretty stiff fines and penalties for Teens who speed in Mass

[bozack]

Just heard in an hour a new law will go into effect that will...

Mandate that teens spend more time in drivers ed and behind the wheel before getting their license (this is good IMHO)

However if they get caught speeding, it is $50 fine plus $10 for every mile over the limit, and the first time they get caught they lose their license for 90 days, the next time it is a year and then I believe two years.....I would have been in alot of trouble had these gone into effect when I was a kid.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

They're cracking down here too. If you're under 18 you are not allowed to have another minor in the car with you unless there is a licensed driver over 21 in the pasenger seat. There is also an 11:00 curfew for drivers under 18.

The stats don't lie. The only thing more dangerous than a minor behind the wheel is a drunk.

 

[jpeyton]

Stupid laws, IMO.

 

[Colt45]

What's the difference between an adult and a teen going 60 in a 30?

It seems to me there is already laws in place to punish speeders.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

And the kids chime in...

Look at the numbers, the only kind of person more likely to be in an accident than a drunk, is a kid.

Driving is not a right. And drivers who are a higher statistical risk to the public need to be regulated differently. Some states require older drivers to prove competency in ways that younger adult drivers don't have to. There is no reason not to take a similar approach to teen drivers.

 

[adrunkgerbil]

yeah, it sucks

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
And the kids chime in...

Look at the numbers, the only kind of person more likely to be in an accident than a drunk, is a kid.

Driving is not a right. And drivers who are a higher statistical risk to the public need to be regulated differently. Some states require older drivers to prove competency in ways that younger adult drivers don't have to. There is no reason not to take a similar approach to teen drivers.

I think that's a much better idea. I'm not a big fan of judging people in overly broad groups, but teenage drivers DO tend to be pretty unsafe. If teens could be tested and given different classes of licenses or something, I think that would be an excellent approach. The teenager who is a safe driver might be rare, but I think there SHOULD be a way to get the responsibility if you can prove you can handle it. But the teenage guy who can't keep the gas pedal off the floor and the teenage girl who can't stop looking at her passenger when she drives DO need more rules.

Edit: And, looking back with the wisdom of age (hah!), I can say that when I was a teenager I probably fell into that latter group of unsafe drivers. My particular state didn't have special rules, once you got your license that was it, but they probably should have. Of course I didn't think so at the time, but that's what being a teenager is about. Trust me on this, you teenage drivers are a LOT less safe than you think you are.

 

[imported_dna]

I recall reading in the AAA magazine that most teen or "young" driver accidents happen at night, so a curfew seems a good solution.

Let them practice while there is daylight

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: bozack
Just heard in an hour a new law will go into effect that will...

Mandate that teens spend more time in drivers ed and behind the wheel before getting their license (this is good IMHO)

However if they get caught speeding, it is $50 fine plus $10 for every mile over the limit, and the first time they get caught they lose their license for 90 days, the next time it is a year and then I believe two years.....I would have been in alot of trouble had these gone into effect when I was a kid.

That's just wrong. I mean if the teens were drinking or something, sure.

But speeding? Who here doesn't speed? Hell, cops pass me on the interstate when I'm doing 10 or so over the limit.

In most places police don't pull anyone for speeding unless they are doing at least "x" number of miles over the limit. And that "x" is usually 10 to 20.

So people drive under the "assumed" limit rather than the posted limit. This just gives the police a reason to pull you over when, otherwise, you weren't doing anything else wrong.

How about we put more energy into real crimes, maybe getting crack and meth off our streets rather than arresting little Johnny for driving a little too fast?

 

[Moonbeam]

Christ All Mighty, now the priests are chasing the kids in Mass?

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Christ All Mighty, now the priests are chasing the kids in Mass?

No, he said stiff "fines."

 

[adrunkgerbil]

This is another one of the things that sucks about the MA state government being 85% democratic. They see something they don't like and they assume passing laws is going to fix everything. It's ridiculous.

 

[piasabird]

The most dangerous thing is a teenager driving a motor vehicle with another teenager or multiple teenagers in the car with him/her. If you add alcohol that is a very dangerous combination.

Teenagers tend to do the most stupid things when other teenagers are in the car with them.

Teenagers just do not have enough emotional maturity to cope with this much responsibility. It is very hard when 3 or 4 or more teenagers all die in an accident or are crippled for life just because of one accident. Once the damage is done, it can not be undone.

I told my own kids that they were not allowed to offer rides or ride in other people's cars. This is a recipe for disaster pain and suffereing.

 

[spaceman]

fvck this state

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I don't have a problem with imposing strict driving limitations on teens, but I do have a problem with infractions carrying more severe legal penalties based on age or anything else for that matter. I guess it's that whole idea of being equal under the law that trips me up on that.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian
I don't have a problem with imposing strict driving limitations on teens, but I do have a problem with infractions carrying more severe legal penalties based on age or anything else for that matter. I guess it's that whole idea of being equal under the law that trips me up on that.

That part is pretty stupid and definitely discriminatory.

 

[brxndxn]

I don't really think there is any attempt to be fair in that situation...

The teen drivers get shafted.. and can't vote against being shafted until they are legally able to vote.

Statistically, I think old people or even moreso - illegals - cause more accidents than teens. But then again, I live in Florida... which has more old people than teens and more illegals than old people.

 

[Strk]

Isn't there also a $500 reinstatement fee once they lose their license?

 

[nineball9]

Originally posted by: adrunkgerbil
This is another one of the things that sucks about the MA state government being 85% democratic. They see something they don't like and they assume passing laws is going to fix everything. It's ridiculous.

Personally I can see both sides of the issue, but this is not "Democrat vs. Republican".

Outgoing Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney not only supported the bill, he signed it in to law on Jan 3, 2007, his next-to-last day in office.

Romney signed into law 35 bills on Jan 3, 2007. He also "let another 44 measures die without action" - in essence a pocket veto - as the two-year legislative session ended the previous day. Romney could have let the teen driving bill die too thus killing it. He didn't kill it. Link.

Mitt Romney is a Republican.

 

[adrunkgerbil]

Originally posted by: nineball9

Originally posted by: adrunkgerbil
This is another one of the things that sucks about the MA state government being 85% democratic. They see something they don't like and they assume passing laws is going to fix everything. It's ridiculous.

Personally I can see both sides of the issue, but this is not "Democrat vs. Republican".

Outgoing Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney not only supported the bill, he signed it in to law on Jan 3, 2007, his next-to-last day in office.

Romney signed into law 35 bills on Jan 3, 2007. He also "let another 44 measures die without action" - in essence a pocket veto - as the two-year legislative session ended the previous day. Romney could have let the teen driving bill die too thus killing it. He didn't kill it. Link.

Mitt Romney is a Republican.

A good percentage of his vetoes in office were overturned.

 

[KMurphy]

Originally posted by: Colt45
What's the difference between an adult and a teen going 60 in a 30?

It seems to me there is already laws in place to punish speeders.

The adult isn't typically weaving in and out of traffic trying to gain two car lengths at the next red light.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: The Cornballer
fvck this state

AMEN. Gays getting married, teenagers getting effed for speeding. mASSachusettes is going to hell in a hand basket! a very gay hand basket anyway

 

[JRich]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian
I don't have a problem with imposing strict driving limitations on teens, but I do have a problem with infractions carrying more severe legal penalties based on age or anything else for that matter. I guess it's that whole idea of being equal under the law that trips me up on that.

That part is pretty stupid and definitely discriminatory.

Hey, if insurance companies can do it...

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
They're cracking down here too. If you're under 18 you are not allowed to have another minor in the car with you unless there is a licensed driver over 21 in the pasenger seat. There is also an 11:00 curfew for drivers under 18.

The stats don't lie. The only thing more dangerous than a minor behind the wheel is a drunk.

I would think old people are more dangerous behind to wheel.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Damn I thought this wa sa religious thread,,,speed in Mass....