Teen Driving Bill Promotes Safety and Employment
29 September 1998
Teen Driving Bill Promotes Safety and EmploymentWASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- The National Automobile Dealers Association today praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a bill promoting workplace safety while increasing employment opportunities for teenagers. The Drive for Teen Employment Act (H.R. 2327) passed without controversy and with broad bipartisan support. "The Drive for Teen Employment Act benefits young people by creating low-risk, supervised settings for teenagers who drive on the job," said NADA Chairman Paul Holloway. "This bill helps auto dealers provide valuable career opportunities for young people and will give them a headstart toward a rewarding career in the auto industry." The legislation became necessary after the U.S. Department of Labor issued a narrower interpretation of their own existing regulation, limiting teen driving to emergency situations and essentially prohibiting all on-the-job driving by licensed teenagers. As a result, more than 60 dealers in Washington state were fined a total of more than $200,000. The Labor Department's action severely hindered vocational education programs established by dealers. Before the crackdown by the Department of Labor, automobile dealerships routinely hired teenagers through vocational programs providing training for automotive careers. As part of their entry-level responsibilities, teen employees occasionally drive new vehicles on public roads to gas stations or to other dealership locations. The new rule will allow licensed 17-year-old employees to drive for up to 20 percent of a work week or up to one-third of any work day. Additionally, teens would complete a driver education program and be required to wear safety belts at all times. The driving would be allowed within a 30-mile radius from their place of employment. The National Automobile Dealers Association represents more than 19,600 franchised new-car and truck dealers holding nearly 40,000 separate franchises, domestic and import.