North Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill that would require drivers under 18 to log 120 hours behind the wheel before getting a license. A parent or other qualified adult would have to sign off on the log. However teens could wait and get their licenses without taking driver's education classes when they turn 18. Lawmakers say the bill comes from recommendations by a task force charged with reducing teen highway deaths. State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Greer Beaty says the agency supports parents' involvement in teaching their children how to drive safely.
Greer Beaty: "We've not actively been involved in this particular bill, but we do believe that having a good foundation, a good education, and lots of practice will help people be safer drivers."
Some driver's safety advocates say there is no evidence that logs work to improve safety. They say the bill could lead to more teens waiting until they're 18 to get their licenses- putting more inexperienced drivers on the road without supervision.
