I was "mean" and "overprotective"

I recall those words that my now 20-year-old dd used to say to me when she was 16 when her dad and I enforced "or else" driving related rules. These rules included no more than one passenger at a time for the first 6 months, use seat belts, no using cell phone while driving, etc. I reminded her of these rules the other night after we heard the terrible news. A teenager was driving a mini-van with 6 other teenagers. None of them was wearing a seat belt. They were driving on a county road and flew right through a stop sign and hit another car. Unfortunately, one of the teenagers in the van was killed. The teen driver is now being charged with motor vehicle homocide and will have to live with this on his conscious for the rest of his life. I personally wish Nebraska would pass a law that would not allow other passengers for the first 2 years of his license.

That so sad and to me really dangerous talking cellphone during drive not really safe. Down here has several got killed and some get hurt.

I really appreciate your posting this. I think your rules are awesome. I am going to print this and keep it for my daughter, who is only 9 years old. I want to do this when she's older, too. Brilliant idea...only 1 passenger at a time. I love it.

Tennessee just passed a law about that. No driver's license will be issued till they are 18. They get a permit when they are 16, only one passenger under 18, no driving at night, if they get a ticket, permit is pulled. They must also stay in school, no failing grades and not too many absences. I think it's great.

Cala, regarding the law's of staying in school, no failing grades, and not too many absences...do they pull the permit?

Yes, they sure do.

Excellent idea, Cala. As a soon-to-be-finished student, I appreciate programs that encourage and motivate excellence in academia.

-Jennifer

Oh yes - that was another "threat" of ours: bad grades, receiving detention, etc. = no car! I remember attending a parent teachers conference. I overheard a mother saying she just didn't know how to get her 16 year old to do his homework. I almost butted in and said "take his car away".

No doubt, Nebraska! I think it's a good idea to impose these limits on young drivers. So many think they're invincible, indestructible. And they think driving is their *right*. I remember being 16, too, and I think -- no, I *know* -- I would have been dangerous driving a car because of my group of friends. I didn't learn to drive until I was out of high school, mostly because my friends drove and I rode with them.

VERY GOOD NJ!!!!