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NCUTLO’s GRADUATED LICENSING MODEL IS
BENCHMARK
NHTSA, NTSB, IIHS USE MODEL AS DEFINING STANDARD
Fourteen states have passed laws that include elements of
"graduated licensing" in 1996 and 1997, and interest in the subject is expected
to remain very high. Confusion reigns, however, as to what, exactly constitutes a true
"graduated" licensing system. The National Committee is pleased to report that,
upon reviewing the available information and model legislation available, the
Committee’s Model Graduated
Licensing Law has been adopted
as the benchmark with which to determine this critical issue.
Using the NCUTLO model as a benchmark, the National
Transportation Safety Board, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety are developing a document
comparing provisions of licensing laws in the 18 states that have one or more of the core
provisions of the NCUTLO model (mandatory six-month holding periods for the learner’s
permit and intermediate license, and prohibition of unsupervised nighttime driving).
The document, tentatively titled "Characteristics of Selected U.S. Licensing
Laws", includes a chart comparing each state on such categories as minimum age,
length of mandatory holding period, nighttime restriction and other features. Each state
which include all of the core provisions as delineated by the National Committee’s
model, are then starred as meeting the definition of graduated licensing laws.
As of press time, the chart is still preliminary. However, as soon as the chart becomes
available, the National Committee will offer it to members, states and other interested
constituencies, as well as placing it on its Internet site. In addition, the chart will be
updated regularly, so that members can have access to the most current information
available.
This project is a fine example of the success of the new NCUTLO. Such successes
are what the Committee was hopeful it could accomplish with the new reorganization, and we
are delighted to report this success. Special thanks go to all the National Committee Task
Force volunteers who labored so intensively to produce the Graduated Licensing model, and
individual recognition goes to John
Archer and Dan Gilbert, the drafters of the
model.
NCUTLO welcomes the Polk
Company to Membership
The Polk Company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is
the latest sponsor member to join the new National Committee. We welcome the Polk
Company and its representative, Mr. Jerry Fischer, Vice-President of Government Systems,
to membership in the National Committee and look forward to their active and enthusiastic
support. Special thanks on this one goes to Mr. Tony Rocha, State Farm Mutual Insurance
Company, for taking the leadership position in demonstrating to the Polk Company the value
of a National Committee membership.
WHAT NEXT FOR 1998???
Annual meeting attendees discuss task forces, services
The National Committee’s
Annual Meeting is traditionally the time the members meet to brainstorm and discuss those
products and services that might be of value to our constituent state and sponsor members.
Budget limitations make the choice of products and Task Forces to pursue of critical
importance, since the limited size of NCUTLO makes the adoption of more than three or four
active Task Forces impossible to maintain in a quality and timely manner. To that end, the
members offer a multitude of suggestions and then count on YOU,
the member to indicate which ones you feel are most important to develop.
Below is a list of all of those Task Forces, as well as products and
services which might be pursued by NCUTLO. Beside each is a blank line. Copy this
newsletter page, take a moment NOW...and mark by numbering 1 to 5 your five highest
priority projects for NCUTLO... Do
it now...WE NEED YOUR INPUT!!!...and it
couldn’t be easier...fax your copy back to: 703/441-1144 as soon as possible.
POSSIBLE
TASK FORCES
_____ Overweight Trucks
_____ Definition of "vehicle"
_____ Traffic Records Upgrade
_____ Diversion programs
_____ Aggressive driving
_____ Driver fatigue
_____ Older driver issues
_____ Bicycle safety & general
_____ Grade crossing issues
_____ Work zone safety
_____ Other _______________________________________
POSSIBLE
MEMBER SERVICES
_____ "Rules of the Road - Rated" (local code comparison)
_____ State code database - searchable
_____ State code comparison to UVC
_____ Digest of Alcohol laws - continuation
_____ Digest of youth-related licensing laws
_____ Other _______________________________________
Name of Member________________________________________________
Affiliation ________________________________________________
Fax
back to 703/441-1144 as soon as possible, but
no later than
December 30, 1997.
NHTSA AIR BAG RULING PROMPTS INFORMATION CAMPAIGN
With the announcement of the recent rulemaking by NHTSA
permitting on-off switches to be installed in vehicles in certain circumstances, the Air Bag Safety Campaign wants to be sure the message is out:
the overwhelming majority of Americans and their families are safer with air bags in their
vehicles, as long as they follow these simple safety steps:
Always slide the seat back as far as
possible and sit back;
Buckle everyone;
Children 12 and under ride properly
restrained in the back
"NHTSA’s announcement indicates that a limited number of
people may want to consider having an on-off switch installed", said Janet Dewey, Executive Director of the Air Bag Safety
Campaign. The four risk profiles who might consider the installation , according to the
Air Bag Safety Campaign, are: those who cannot avoid
placing rear-facing infants in the front passenger seat; those who have a medical
condition that places them at specific risk; those who cannot adjust their driver’s
position to keep back 10 inches from the steering wheel; and those who cannot avoid
situations - such as a car pool - that require a child 12 or under to ride in the front seat. For a copy of the NHTSA Safety Fact Sheet and
application to install an on-off switch, see this issue’s Fax Back Documents (page
4).
BRIEFLY NOTED.....
GEORGIA HOUSE INTRODUCES DUI/GRADUATED
LICENSING BILL
A compromise bill which combines DUI initiatives and restrictions on teen driving laws
has recently been introduced in the Georgia House of Representatives. The compromise,
hailed by Gov. Zell Miller, Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard, as
well as bipartisan House leadership, combines the Lt. Governor’s teen driving package
with Miller’s DUI initiatives to impose zero
alcohol tolerance for teens, restrict nighttime driving privileges until age 18, limit the
number of nonfamily passengers that teen drivers can transport, and require teens to stay
in school or get a general education diploma to retain their license. MADD officials, who
had lobbied intensely, said the compromise ushers in "a phenomenal day on
Georgia."
OKLAHOMA’S PRIMARY BELT LAW NOW IN EFFECT
The state of Oklahoma now has a primary belt law in effect as of November 1, 1997. The
state legislature passed the bill and it was signed by Governor
Frank Keating in late May. The law allows police officers to issue a $20 fine
to a driver and/or an adult front-seat passenger solely for not wearing a safety belt. The
law applies to all passenger vehicles. It is hoped that the new law will increase safety
belt use rates, as has been the case in a number of other states. Current Oklahoma belt
use is 48 per cent and hopes are the new law will boost that usage rate by 15-20 percent.
U.S.D.O.T ANNOUNCES FINAL RULE ON AIR BAGS
On November 18, 1997, the U.S. DOT announced a final rule that allows consumers to have
retrofit air bag on-off switches installed for the air bags in their vehicles. It is
imperative that consumers have accurate information in order to determine if they are in a
risk group, so that they can make an informed decision about such installations, which the
rule now allows as of January 19, 1998. NHTSA has produced a brochure entitled "Air
Bags and On-off Switches: Information for an Informed Decision". This brochure is
available now from state and local motor vehicle offices, AAA clubs, and some new car
dealers. For further information, call the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
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