Public frustration with Oklahoma’s driver’s licensing program is well known at the state Capitol, said the chairman of a legislative committee that oversees budget appropriations to the Department of Public Safety. Rep. Lisa Billy, R- Purcell, said long lines at exam stations hits close to home. She has three teenage sons each in various phases of the licensing process, and the closest exam station is 35 miles away in Chickasha. Billy said legislation recently passed and signed by the governor will go a long way toward alleviating the problem. House Bill 2367, which goes into effect on Nov. I will allow instructors at driver’s education schools to administer the behind-the-wheel exam for the first time. “That was the true motivation of the bill,” she said. “And next year we’re hoping to expand the opportunity to include our tag agents, so they continue
As automakers increasingly try to market their cars to young drivers they will find themselves fighting over a shrinking percentage of teenagers who want to drive. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are all vying for a larger share of the youth market with cars like the Chevy Sonic, Ford Fiesta and Dodge Dart. But the percentage of 19-year-olds in the U.S. who have drivers’ licenses dropped from 87.3% in 1983 to 69.5% in 2010, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. “It reflects mostly the increased use of the Internet,” said Michael Sivak, research professor and the head of the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. “The virtual contact that is possible through electronic means is reducing the actual physical need of contact among young people.” Sivak also said the difficult economic times during the recession contributed, making it more difficult for younger people to buy and maintain cars. Also, more young people are moving to large continue
For any number of reasons, from injury to age, there are reasons why we should give up our drivers’ licenses. Driving down a busy through fare or on the highway at 70 miles-per-hour just isn’t safe, for us or for others on the road. But turning in a license and handing over the keys to the car also means depending on others for things such as errands to the grocery store, pharmacy, bank and so on. In Montana where public transportation isn’t universally available, being license less can be harshly restricting. An apparently little-known law that went into place Jan. 1 can help at least some Montanans gain some mobility back and along with it, a little more independence. To qualify, applicants need a medical evaluation or statement from their physician that verifies their impairment. They need to take a test, pass a vision exam and take a modified road test. Applicants applying for the low-speed license can get a learners permit if they pass the written and vision exam. They can then practice with continue
No comments:
Post a Comment