THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 24, 1995 TAG: 9503240057
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E12 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TEENSPEAK
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
MOST BACK TALK callers this week said the governor should sign the bill on his desk that would lower the learner's permit age to 15. And most of those callers were (surprise, surprise) near age 15.
But one 17-year-old called to say, ``To someone's maturity, eight months makes a difference. It's too early to have these kids on the road because they are going to panic and cause accidents.''
Here are additional comments:
``I think we should lower the age limit for getting a driver's permit to 15 because you would have a whole year of practicing driving with your parents instead of four months.'' Courtney McPherrin, 14, eighth-grade, Great Bridge Middle School South
``I think they should pass that law so we can have more time to learn how to drive and get familiar with the streets and stuff.'' Leslee Walters, 14, ninth grade at Deep Creek High
``I think it's a good idea. Some students who have parents that are disabled, they will be able to help them out. It's also a chance for a 15-year-old to go places with their friends and drive at an early age.'' Tiffany Monique Quash, 15, sophomore at Great Bridge High School ILLUSTRATION: Color photos on page E1
Crystal Wells
Eric Adams
Hoyt Adickes
Andre LeBoeuf
Photos
Smithfield senior Constance Greene pointed out that in 1993, the
poll found most teens, 52.8 percent, said they used a condom during
their last sexual encounter, up from 46.2 percent in 1991. ``I'm
still not so sure the majority are using condoms. I think a lot of
them probably said that because they knew that's what the people
getting the statistics wanted to hear.''
``I think teens are probably doing it more these days,'' said Kim
Edwards, a 16-year-old Windsor High junior.
by CNB