ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, December 18, 1995 TAG: 9512180045
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SERIES: Whatever happened to... A quick look back at 1995
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLDS can now get learner's permits, but they aren't rushing to the DMV to apply for them.
Fifteen-year-old Jon Crenshaw of Roanoke recently picked up his shiny, laminated, computer-generated learner's permit with the twin head shot at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
His response? A shrug of his shoulders.
It's that way with a number of Virginia teens. A new state law allowing them to obtain their learner's permit at age 15 became effective July 1. But after their initial thrill, they realized it still meant a whole year would pass before they could drive solo.
In Crenshaw's case, he turned 15 in March but did not apply for his learner's permit until last Wednesday.
He thinks the new law is a good change. "It gives people more time [to drive], more experience.''
But despite Crenshaw's positive review, the law did not spur him to practice driving until he was 15 years and nine months of age - a full month past the old law's legal age.
Carl Crenshaw, his father, said he couldn't see any problem allowing 15-year-olds the opportunity to drive. From his perspective, that of an American Red Cross health and safety instructor, 15-year-olds get certified to be lifeguards - an equally challenging responsibility.
He said neither of his sons was eager to get a permit.
The branch manager of Roanoke's Department of Motor Vehicles office, Jerry Canada, said his daughter was equally uninterested. It has been nearly a half year since she turned 15 and only recently has she shown an interest in getting her permit, he said.
So was anyone excited about the change? Sure, the original hoopla brought more than 100 teens (not counting their adult chauffeurs) to Roanoke's DMV on July 1, which happened to be a Saturday, Canada said. The group was pressed against the gate at DMV, which opened a half hour early to accommodate the rush.
Given the fact that the change meant not only 15 year-olds, but all those up to 15 years and eight months would be wanting a learner's permit, the influx was understandable.
Canada said it took about two months to get the flow of teen applicants back to normal.
The ``thorough'' written test may have been a roadblock for some teens in a hurry to get their permits.
``I have sensed a higher failure rate" on the written test, Canada said.
These students of the road are held up to the same standards as before, only on a slightly earlier time line. When they drive with a permit, a licensed driver 18 years or older must be in the car.
Lt. R.A. Bower of the Roanoke Police traffic department said teens with learner's permits are not much of a concern.
``We don't get a whole lot of violations out of them,'' he said.
DMV statistics for 1993 showed it was not teens who caused the most accidents among young drivers - it was those in the 21-25 age group.
Thus, one reason for the additional eight months to practice driving.
But whether the extra time is being used is unclear.
Jeanne Chenault, spokeswoman for the state DMV, said no statewide figures have been tallied yet on the number of teens applying for permits at age 15.
However, Carl Crenshaw said he immediately saw an advantage to the new law: It allowed him a reward system for his children that otherwise would not have been available for another eight months.
``When he does well, he gets to use it [learner's permit], and when he doesn't, he doesn't.''
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines KEYWORDS: YEAR 1995 INFOLINEby CNB