A4

Allison Jones
THE CANADIAN PRESS

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

TORONTO - Proposed Ontario legislation to limit the driving privileges of people under age 22 raised the ire Tuesday of young drivers before the bill was even tabled.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said the "modest restrictions" will include a zero blood-alcohol limit for all Ontario drivers aged 21 and under and escalating sanctions for young drivers who speed, starting with a 30-day licence suspension.

Drivers between 16 and 19 will also be limited to having only one teenage passenger in the vehicle, which McGuinty conceded will mean three 19-year-old adults could not go to a movie - or church - in the same car.

"Perhaps the most precious thing we have in society is our children, and that includes our older children," McGuinty said.

"We owe it to our kids to take the kinds of measures that ensure that they will grow up safe and sound and secure, and if that means a modest restriction on their freedoms until they reach the age of 22, then as a dad, I'm more than prepared to do that."

Many teenagers did not see the proposed restrictions as modest.

"I think it's unfair because not all of us are irresponsible so it shouldn't apply to all of us," said Alex Popescu, 17.

"I drive my friends around, I have to drive my brother to school."

Popescu said the rules would mean he wouldn't be able to bring his friend and girlfriend to a party and thinks that's age discrimination.

"I passed my test just like any other person," he said. "I did good and I think I deserve to be able to drive with anybody I want."

Studies show just one teenage passenger with a teen driver doubles the chances of an accident and that risk increases with the addition of every teenage passenger, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

But some teens say the statistics unfairly paint all young drivers with the same brush.

"They tend to blame teens a lot for the crashes," said Mason Kleps, 17.

"There are some stupid kids out there, I'm not going to lie, but "¦ not all kids are bad and we do need to drive."

Some teens are also raising environmental concerns about the impact of limiting the number of young people per car.

"I think it's kind of unfair because a lot of kids at this age want to go a whole bunch of places and if you can't carpool anymore then what's the point?" said Keeley Lawrence, who at 14 is a few years away from being a young driver himself.

"You're going to need a whole bunch of cars and it's going to add up."

Several online Facebook groups sprung up with more than 1,000 members, hours before the legislation was even tabled Tuesday, protesting the proposed law.