The death of the son of a former state senator has prompted a move to tighten the restrictions on young drivers. Governor Vilsack has joined with former state senator Tony Bisignano to push the tougher regulations in memory of Bisignano’s son Nick, who died in an alcohol-related accident in December of 2004. Nick would’ve been a senior at Des Moines Lincoln High School and about a dozen of his friends say they’ll help push for the changes — but the editor of the Lincoln student newspaper says not everyone is on board.
Tyler Kingkade, says he’s interviewed several of the students and they do not support new restrictions — such as the proposal to limit young drivers to just one passenger. He says students think it limits the freedom students have to go anywhere. Kingkade says he would personally like to see the limit set at three passengers. The current law limits the number of passengers to the number of seatbelts in a car. Kingkade says students think the change would be too strict. He says a lot of the students say they would consider the license worthless because the restriction on passengers.
Another restriction would ban young drivers from being on the road between 11 p.m. and five A.M. They can now be on the road from 12-30 A.M. until five A.M. and Kingkade says students don’t want that to change. He says a lot of them are worried about the curfew as he says it could limit them from taking a date home after a dance or going to a late-night church service. The proposal would also keep young drivers from using cellphones while driving. Kingkade says the students don’t like that restriction unless it also applies to older drivers too. The changes in law were recommended after an initiative called “Keep Young Drivers Safe” or “KYDS” which included hearings across the state.