Is the Graduated Licensing Program Really Helping to Make.
On March 1 2004 in Coquitlam, a 15 year old girl was killed while trying to go across a cross walk. Several other cars were stopped at this well lit cross walk to let the girl and her cousin cross when a young driver drove straight through and hit the 15 year old girl resulting in her death. Towards the end of February a young driver had stolen a vehicle and caused a horrible hit and run accident that severely injured a mother and her two adult children. This is only one of many accidents happening everyday involving young drivers. Whether on the news or through family and friends we are always hearing about young drivers being hurt or killed in car accidents. .
According to ICBC during the first two years of B.C.'s Graduated Licensing Program they were successful in reducing the new driver crash rate by 26%. But most of the crash reductions have come from the longer learner stage when new drivers must have a supervisor. While drivers in the novice stage are still over-represented in crashes, being almost 45% more likely to be involved in a crash than an experienced driver. These crashes involving young drivers tend to be more severe. One in four crashes involving a Graduated Licensing Program driver results in an injury or fatality. ICBC also claims that 39% of these crashes are speed related, 32% are because of inexperience and 25% are alcohol related crashes.
In October of 2003 ICBC made some more changes to the licensing program to try and reduce the number of accidents occurring with young drivers. They increased the learner's stage from six months to a year, and rose the age of the person supervising from nineteen to twenty-five. The extra six months of the learners stage gives these drivers some extra driving experience but does not allow enough time for the drive's maturity to increase. They are also now requiring parents to sign an affidavit when their children pass their learners test, saying that they will be responsible for their child until they are nineteen.