STAND. COM. REP. NO. 917-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2023

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2023, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRIVER LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to increase traffic safety. Among other things, this bill:

(1) Establishes a three-stage graduated driver licensing system for persons under the age of 18;

(2) Requires drivers under the age of 18 to be accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian when driving between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., except under specific circumstances;

(3) Provides exceptions for working individuals and individuals attending school; and

(4) Requires temporary permit holders to be accompanied by a licensed individual who is at least 21 years of age, instead of 18 years of age, when driving.

The Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Honolulu Police Department (HPD), Mothers Against Drunk Driving-Hawaii (MADD-Hawaii), Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, American Academy of Pediatrics-Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii Insurers Council, and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company testified in support of this measure. The Judiciary commented on this measure.

Research, studies, and statistics have shown that young, novice drivers have an extremely high crash risk with factors such as inexperience and immaturity being major contributors. This is especially true at night. In fact, in Hawaii, 9.7 percent of all reported traffic crashes involved individuals between the ages of 15 and 18 in 2001, and 38 percent of all fatal crashes in 2002 involving drivers between 16 and 17 years of age occurred at night.

Your Committee finds that previous legislation to increase driving restrictions on younger drivers has significantly reduced the proportion of traffic crashes involving teen drivers. Nighttime restrictions on drivers in the younger age group are designed to develop the skills necessary for safe driving under these conditions and should also result in an increase in traffic safety, especially among teenagers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and replacing it with the language from H.B. No. 2290, H.D. 1, similar to the current bill with a few differences such as:

(1) Allowing the licensee to drive during the restricted hours for school or work purposes provided the licensee carries a signed statement, including the name, address, and telephone number of a licensed parent or legal guardian, or an employer verifying the necessity of driving at that time;

(2) Making a violation of provisional license requirements a status offense to be reviewed by family court;

(3) Including a provision that the penalty for driving at speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour can include revocation of a driver's license; and

(4) Changing the effective date to February 31, 2525, to facilitate further discussion.

 

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2023, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2023, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

____________________________

JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair