STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1044

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 150

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 150, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a three-stage driver's licensing program for persons under the age of eighteen.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Department of Education, Honolulu County Department of Customer Services, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu Police Department, American Academy of Pediatrics, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, Hawaii Insurers Council, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and four individuals. Testimony in opposition was received from the Office of the Public Defender and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that teenage drivers are disproportionately involved in crashes, including fatal crashes. There are several reasons for this. They are inexperienced new drivers, and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as speeding and racing, particularly in the company of their peers. They are also more likely to become distracted and inattentive while driving.

Your Committee believes that provisional licenses will help to reduce crashes and the resulting injuries and deaths. Teen drivers will be given more driving supervision and driving practice before becoming fully licensed. According to testimony of the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, states with a graduated licensing system have reported a significant reduction in fatalities and driving convictions. States that have night time driving restrictions as part of graduated licensing have had reductions in fatalities of up to fifty-three percent (Wisconsin) and in all crashes involving teen drivers of up to twenty-five percent (North Carolina).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encourages states to implement a graduated driver licensing system. Easing young drivers onto the roadways by controlling their exposure to progressively more difficult driving experiences can reduce the incidence of traffic crashes involving young drivers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting language pertaining to the passenger being restricted to one who is unrelated to the provisional licensee. As amended, only one passenger is allowed, whether related or not to the provisional licensee. In this manner, the amended measure restricts the number of passengers in the vehicle, which is critically important to reducing traffic injuries and death.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 150, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 150, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Government Operations,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair