My eldest will turn 15 this next month. I have been thinking that we should institute a graduated driving plan, even more than Texas might have.

Reuter’s said that a study has found that there are less fatal crashes with such a plan. Permutations on the plans include:

* Minimum age of 15-1/2 for obtaining a learner permit.

* Minimum of 3 months waiting period after obtaining a learner permit before applying for an intermediate license.

* Minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving.

* Minimum age of 16 years for obtaining intermediate stage license.

* Minimum age of 17 years for full licensing.

* Restriction on driving at night.

* Restriction on carrying any passengers.

The authors of the studies went over the 36 states with such programs.

Compared with states without graduated driver programs, the data show a 16 percent to 21 percent reduction in the rate at which 16-year-old drivers’ are involved in fatal car crashes in states with graduated driver programs that include a three month minimum mandatory waiting period, nighttime driving restriction, and either a minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving or passenger restrictions.

Reductions of 18 percent to 21 percent in 16-year-old drivers’ involvement in fatal car crashes occurred in states with programs that included five of the seven components.

I had decided we should wait until E was 15 and a half to get his learning permit. (I lived in NY at his age and there you couldn’t get a permit till 17. When my family moved to Louisiana, my brother got his driver’s license at 15.)