Summit gives thumbs up to driver education
High school students tell black legislators that their peers should learn fundamentals in classes. TEENAGERS ON WHEELS
Will Anderson - Staff
Sunday, October 1, 2000

The state should make driver's education mandatory and further restrict the number of passengers that first-year drivers can carry. But curfews should be the parents' decision, not the state's.

Those were recommendations that a group of high school students gave Saturday at the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus' Youth Summit 2000. About 50 metro area students attended the event at the Airport Marriott, where legislators listened to what teens had to say.

Tops on their list was driver's education.

"It opens your eyes," said 17-year-old Robyn Marable, a senior at Stephenson High School in DeKalb County. "It gives kids the experience of actually driving a car. The kids at my school that didn't take driver's ed, they're reckless."

The comments rang true with state Sens. Donzella James (D-Atlanta) and Gloria Butler (D-Clarkston), who support making driver's education mandatory.

"I've been disagreeing with raising the age limit without education. Raising the age limit does not do anything without education," Butler said.

James has been a strong proponent of stricter DUI laws ever since her 18-year-old son was killed by a drunken driver.

The teens also recommended limiting the number of nonfamily passengers that a 16-year-old driver can have in the car. Right now, it's three, but the teens said it could be reduced to one. At 17, it would go back up to three.

But a stricter curfew was definitely out, said Riverdale High School freshman Kara Shipp.

"I think it should be the parents' decision how late their kids can stay out," said Shipp, 17. "I know my parents only let me stay out until 11 p.m. They say if you're not in, you can just sleep outside."