| For many years, NHTSA has been
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| | In its current form, the legislation does
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| encouraging the States to strengthen
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| | not have as one of its eligibility
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| their laws and programs dealing with
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| | criteria for the grant program a
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| youth traffic safety. Despite these
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| | provision that would reward a State for
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| efforts, progress toward major changes in
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| | enacting a nighttime curfew for young,
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| State laws has been relatively slow. Only
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| | inexperienced drivers under the age of
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| about five States have implemented the
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| | 18. Such a restriction would require the
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| comprehensive mix of laws and programs
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| | provisional licensee to have an adult
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| that appear to be necessary to
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| | present in the front seat during
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| effectively deal with traffic safety
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| | specified hours. Some might argue that
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| problems of youth and to reduce the youth
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| | such a restriction would be cumbersome.
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| traffic fatality rate substantially below
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| | State licensing agencies, however, have
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| its current level.
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| | successfully implemented curfew programs
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| Legislation should be properly structured
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| | for specified drivers, whilech grant
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| and implemented, as the resulting Federal
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| | limited exceptions for very specific
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| State partnership would promote a
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| | conditions on a case-by-case basis.
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| comprehensive and vigorous national
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| | Although concerns regarding civil
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| program that could substantially reduce
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| | liberties of youth may be raised,
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| traffic fatalities involving youth. This
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| | experience shows that such curfews saves
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| could be funded out of general revenues
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| | lives and surveys show that such curfews
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| or out of the Federal Highway Trust Fund.
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| | are appreciated by many.
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| Either way, the cost would be roughly $20
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| | If we are going to simultaneously promote
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| million a year. If funded out of the
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| | traffic safety and provide for the
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| Trust Fund, this program would slightly
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| | mobility of older Americans, we need to
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| increase competition for funds from the
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| | learn a great deal more about how
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| Fund, which is currently tapped for about
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| | declining physical and mental abilities
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| $20 billion annually. There are, however,
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| | affect driving and how to relate this
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| unused contract authorities and funds in
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| | information to licensing decisions.
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| the 1991 Highway Act and in other laws
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| | Over the next 10 years, the proposed
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| that could be redirected to pay for this
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| | older driver program could provide much
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| new program.
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| | of this knowledge. This information would
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| Does this expenditure make sense? The CRS
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| | help State agencies make more informed
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| report on the younger driver issue, which
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| | licensing decisions, lead to improved
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| you have before you, projected that the
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| | guidelines to be used by concerned
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| benefits in reducing the medical and
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| | families and physicians, and assist older
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| societal costs oi losing and injuring
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| | drivers in making better decisions about
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| thousands of yoimg people each year in
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| | their own driving practices and future
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| traffic crashes would outweigh likely
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| | license.
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| program costs by at least a factor of 10.
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