[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 130 (Wednesday, September 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10100-H10102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK

  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 165) supporting the 
goals and ideals of National Teen Driver Safety Week.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 165

       Whereas motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of 
     death for adolescents and young adults in the United States, 
     and many of these deaths are preventable;
       Whereas almost 7,500 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 
     years were involved in fatal crashes in 2005 throughout the 
     United States;
       Whereas the fatality rate in the United States for drivers 
     between the ages of 16 and 19 years, based on miles driven, 
     is 4 times the fatality rate for drivers between the ages of 
     25 and 69 years;
       Whereas the majority of teen driver crashes in the United 
     States are due to driver error and speeding, and 15 percent 
     of the crashes are due to drunk driving;
       Whereas roughly two-thirds of the teenagers killed in motor 
     vehicle accidents in the United States each year do not use 
     seatbelts;
       Whereas approximately 63 percent of teen passenger deaths 
     in the United States occur while other teenagers are driving;
       Whereas it is necessary to explore effective ways to reduce 
     the crash risk for young drivers by focusing research and 
     outreach efforts on areas of teen driving that show the most 
     promise for improving safety;
       Whereas the National Teen Driver Survey, developed with 
     input from teenagers and administered by The Children's 
     Hospital of Philadelphia, demonstrates a national need to 
     increase overall awareness about the safe use of electronic 
     handheld devices, the risk of nighttime and fatigued driving, 
     the importance of consistent seatbelt use, and the

[[Page H10101]]

     practice of gradually increasing driver privileges over time 
     as a young driver gains more experience under supervised 
     conditions;
       Whereas in 2005, 1,553 crash fatalities involving a teen 
     driver occurred in the fall, when teenagers are in the first 
     months of the school year and faced with many decisions 
     involving driving, including whether to drive with peer 
     passengers and other distractions; and
       Whereas designating the third week of October as National 
     Teen Driver Safety Week is expected to increase awareness of 
     these important issues among teenagers and adults in 
     communities throughout the United States, as additional 
     research is conducted to develop and test effective 
     interventions that will help teenagers become safer drivers; 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),  That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Teen Driver 
     Safety Week; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     the week with appropriate activities that promote the 
     practice of safe driving among the Nation's licensed teenage 
     drivers.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Vermont (Mr. Welch) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Vermont.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Vermont?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I'm pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H. 
Con. Res. 165, which supports the goals and ideals of National Teen 
Driver Safety Week.
  This resolution, which has 55 cosponsors, was introduced by 
Representative Charles Dent on June 6, 2007. The resolution was 
reported from the Oversight Committee on July 19, 2007, by a voice 
vote.
  Madam Speaker, road crashes are the leading cause of death for 
teenagers. These crashes are more common among young drivers than among 
any other age group, with one in four crash fatalities in the United 
States involving young people from the ages of 16 to 24.
  The first 6 months after a teenager receives his or her license, he 
or she is especially at high risk of being in a car accident. 
Unfortunately, this risk stays relatively high until the young driver 
reaches 25.
  In an effort to improve road safety and reduce crashes among young 
people, the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children's 
Hospital of Philadelphia and the State Farm Insurance Company 
codeveloped a multiyear teen center research initiative to help young 
drivers develop safe, smart driving behaviors and skills.
  Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague Mr. Dent from Pennsylvania for 
seeking to support the goals and ideals of National Teen Driver Safety 
Week, and I urge the swift passage of this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Tragedy strikes every day as teen drivers, just on the cusp of 
adulthood, are killed at an alarming rate each year, causing grief and 
profound sadness for their families and communities.
  Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among 
adolescents and young adults in the United States.
  In 2005, almost 7,500 drivers between the age of 15 and 20 were 
involved in fatal crashes across the United States. Many of these 
deaths are preventable, and it is imperative that we do all we can to 
improve the safety of our roads and highways for all drivers.
  H. Con. Res. 165 supports the ideals and goals of National Teen 
Driver Safety Week, an important event that will go a long way towards 
educating our young people and their families about safe driving 
practices.
  The statistics of teen driving are simply staggering. This age group 
makes up only 7 percent of licensed drivers but suffers 14 percent of 
fatalities and 20 percent of all reported accidents.
  Based on miles driven, drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 have 
four times the mortality rate than drivers older than 25 and up.
  Most important of all, the number of teen drivers on the road is 
expected to grow to over 32 million by 2010, meaning that, unless we 
take action, this tragic problem will only get worse.
  National Teen Driver Safety Week seeks to reverse these alarming 
trends by concentrating national attention on the development and 
communication of effective interventions to help reduce crashes 
involving teen drivers. Teens will be taught about safe driver 
practices that will prevent many of these accidents from occurring. 
Efforts will be made to encourage teens to wear seatbelts, as nearly 
two-thirds of all teenagers killed in motor vehicle accidents have been 
reportedly not wearing seatbelts.
  Finally, National Teen Driver Safety Week will echo other groups in 
warning about the dangers of drunk driving, nighttime fatigue and other 
use of electronic, handheld devices. By educating teens, along with 
their families, we can possibly make a lasting change in teen driving 
behavior that will lead to safer roads for all of us.
  Therefore, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 
165, supporting the goals of the National Teen Driver Safety Week.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I reserve my time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize my friend 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) for as much time as he may consume.
  Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to rise this afternoon in 
support of this legislation which designates the third week of October 
as National Teen Driver Safety Week.
  As has already been stated, we witness this issue on far too many 
occasions, but roughly 7,500 teenage drivers were involved in fatal car 
crashes in 2005. Today, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of 
death among American teenagers.
  The time has come for Congress to recognize this terrible problem and 
consider effective interventions that will help reduce the number of 
accidents involving teens on American roads.
  On Monday, January 22, 2007, following a tragic accident that claimed 
the lives of two young high school students in my district, The Morning 
Call newspaper compiled a report: Fatal crashes involving teens that 
had occurred in the Lehigh Valley region since 2001. This report 
indicated that there were a total of 13 fatalities between 2001 and 
2006, with alcohol involved in two of the seven accidents reported. 
Other contributing factors included racing and reckless behavior.
  Sadly, it appears that these events, which are happening in every 
corner of the United States, could have been prevented, enabling these 
young adults to reach their destinations safely.
  To address this troubling issue, the Children's Hospital of 
Pennsylvania, or CHOP as it's commonly referred to, is currently 
conducting research that will help develop the best interventions to 
reduce the risk of crash injury for teen drivers and travelers sharing 
the road with them.
  The alliance of Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania and State Farm 
Insurance Company, CHOP's partner in this initiative, is nationally 
recognized for its research and outreach involving child passenger 
safety. However, this year they've expanded their agenda from the car 
seat to the driver's seat in an effort to address the cause of motor 
vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among American teenagers.
  Together, CHOP and State Farm have conducted research indicating that 
teens often drive while distracted and fatigued.

                              {time}  1245

  I believe this alliance brings together a wide range of expertise and 
research and outreach, translating scientific evidence into actions 
that will help save lives. It's important that Congress support efforts 
to effectively educate these teens and families about ways to address 
these problems.
  This resolution will endorse the goals and ideals of a week in which 
intensive programming will be used to encourage these teens to drive 
more safely. By delaying exposure to risky driving conditions until 
they have had enough supervised driving experience, managing

[[Page H10102]]

peer-to-peer interactions while in the vehicle, and reinforcing the 
need to protect and react to hazards more appropriately, teens will be 
better prepared to drive responsibly. Throughout our great Nation, 
teens are dying in crashes at a rate of four times that of adult 
drivers.
  Congress must work to prevent these tragedies, and I certainly 
encourage my colleagues to support this important resolution.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from the great State of Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for 
giving me this time. I actually came to the floor to speak on other 
legislation, but when I realized that this bill was up, I wanted to at 
least make a couple of comments about it.
  I have the privilege of serving as the ranking member on the Highways 
and Transit Subcommittee. Prior to that, or a few years ago, I served 
for 6 years as chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee. The statistics, 
or the comparison between aviation and safety on our highways, is just 
staggering.
  Unfortunately, we have more people killed in 3\1/2\ months on our 
Nation's highways than we have had killed in all U.S. aviation 
accidents combined since the Wright brothers' flight in 1903. But more 
importantly I want to commend the authors of this legislation, because 
we need to do everything we can to call attention to the record of teen 
drivers and raise the awareness of teenagers as to how dangerous our 
Nation's highways can be.
  According to the most recent statistics by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, our safest drivers, contrary to what a 
lot of people believe, are those 75 and over. The second safest group 
of drivers are those 65 to 74.
  The 75 and over age group has 2.5 accidents per 10,000 drivers. That 
compares to the 16-to-20 group which has 13.3 percent per 10,000 
drivers. It's an amazing statistic as to how dangerous teenage driving 
is and how safe our older drivers are.
  I just wanted to say that I rise in strong support of this resolution 
on Teen Driver Safety Week.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the work of my 
colleague, Mr. Westmoreland, the remarks of my colleagues, Mr. Duncan 
from Tennessee and Mr. Dent from Pennsylvania, and urge passage.
  Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I am proud to 
join my colleague from Pennsylvania, Mr. Dent, in supporting the goals 
and ideals of National Teen Driver Safety Week. I signed on as an 
original co-sponsor of this important initiative because I believe that 
teen driver safety--especially in Pennsylvania--deserves our support 
and our attention. This is an important piece of legislation and I urge 
my fellow Members of Congress to support it today.
  I am also proud of the research and prevention efforts of the 
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which includes a campus in my 
district. We should all applaud their commitment to keeping our teens 
and roads safer and I hope that the establishment of Teen Driver Safety 
Week will bring attention to this important issue in communities like 
mine across the United States.
  Madam Speaker, the figures are daunting: Almost 7,500 drivers between 
the ages of 15 and 20 were involved in fatal crashes in 2005 and the 
fatality rate for teens is four times the rate for drivers between 25 
and 69. The good news is that we can do something about it. The 
majority of teen driver crashes in our country are due to avoidable 
mistakes like speeding or cell phone use. The research shows that 
involvement from parents, educators and peers can make the difference 
in saving young lives.
  In my own district, an organization called Central Bucks Cares is 
leading the charge to engage teen drivers in safe driving practices. 
After the tragic deaths of Laura Lauterbach and James Ogden, both 
students at Central Bucks East High School, the nonprofit community 
coalition assembled a roundtable discussion on teen driving. Following 
the roundtable, student intern Sarah Canavan of Buckingham helped 
Central Bucks Cares to draft a contract that teen drivers and their 
parents could agree to.
  Teens agree to responsible driving practices, including courteous 
behavior towards other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as 
adherence to traffic laws and road signs. Parents agree to serve as 
good role models in their own driving and to encourage safe driving 
practices by enforcing the terms of the contract.
  Sarah's younger sister Amy and her mother were the first teen/parent 
pair to sign and fully support the agreement. I hope that many more 
families in Pennsylvania and nationwide will follow their example in 
making a commitment to safer teen driving.
  Madam Speaker, I see the difference that Central Bucks Cares is 
making in my district and I hope that this legislation will help other 
communities to do the same.
  Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 165.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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