New law: NC teens being jailed for driving 15 mph over speed limit

[NFS4]

There have been a ton of cases of high school students speeding, wrecking, killing themselves and/or others. This is the result:

BENSON, N.C. — *Teenage drivers caught speeding might end up behind bars under a new state law that has some parents upset.

The law requires that teens who are 18 or younger and driving with a provisional license be arrested and taken before a magistrate if they are caught committing a misdemeanor moving violation.

That includes speeding 15 mph above the speed limit, careless and reckless driving, driving in excess of 80 mph, passing a stopped school bus and aggressive driving.

Brittany Guntang, 17, was arrested in Benson last week after she was caught going 15 mph over the speed limit. She says she was surprised when she learned that she wasn't just getting a ticket.

"(The officer) told me to get out of the car and said that he was taking me to the jail in Smithfield for speeding," Guntang said Monday.

As a result, she has lost her license for 30 days.

The law, which went into effect Oct. 1, was passed to try to reduce the high number of North Carolina teenagers being killed in wrecks.

"I would much rather make a phone call to a parent to tell them that their child is at the magistrate's office rather than make that dreaded knock on the door to say that their child is no longer with us due to a motor vehicle collision," First Sgt. Jeff Gordon, of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, said.

But Guntang's mother, Susan McCloud, says she thinks the law is too extreme.

"My daughter is going to be applying for college next year, and, of course, she is going to have to write on her application for college that she has been arrested," she said.

McCloud says she believes the state should do more to raise awareness of the law.

"That's basically the reason I wanted to get in contact with WRAL," she said. "I wanted to let parents and teenagers know that this law is in effect."

*Guntang says she hopes others can learn from her mistake.

"Be aware of this law, and hopefully, don't get caught speeding," she said.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10907942/

 

[Anubis]

umm good law IMO

 

[Matthiasa]

So basically age discrimination.
If any of the teens go and fight it, or their parents, the law will die.

 

[KevinCU]

As extreme as this is, I actually think it is a good idea. Back in my freshman year of HS I remember at least six occasions where the death of a student via automobile accident was announced over the intercom system.

 

[IronWing]

Waste of jail space. Stay tuned for made-for-TV movie about teen girls sexually assaulted in jail.

 

[nageov3t]

So basically age discrimination.
If any of the teens go and fight it, or their parents, the law will die.

there are already plenty of restrictions against provisional licenses on the books, I'm sure it's fine legally.

 

[Matthiasa]

Well yes, but age isn't one that tends to be legal to discriminate against.
If it was all new drivers that would be different but it is not from the sounds of the article.

 

[DominionSeraph]

So basically age discrimination.
If any of the teens go and fight it, or their parents, the law will die.

The age limit of 21 has been upheld for alcohol use, and over 18 gets the protections of an adult. Under 18 and on a provisional license is going to have nothin'.

 

[Bateluer]

Sounds good, but whats the penalty for adults speeding 15 over? Its standard for Phoenix drivers to drive 15-25 over posted pretty much everywhere.

Except on the free way, then its 10 below.

 

[erikistired]

Waste of jail space. Stay tuned for made-for-TV movie about teen girls sexually assaulted in jail.

i would be okay with funding a small jail for speeding offenders, and expand the law to cover anyone doing a certain amount over the speed limit. 30 days in jail will open up some eyes and make people realize it's not worth it, and it's not that long that we will need a mega prison for it.

repeat offenders can go to the big house.

driving like an a'hole should totally be a crime.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Would hit

 

[mmntech]

Sounds extreme, especially form a one time violation for an infraction that's not that serious. I doubt it would pass the constitutional sniff test. A simple license suspension is more than appropriate.

 

[zerocool84]

Crowd or already crowded jails for this? Great job NC.

 

[Fenixgoon]

better driver education and training > more laws

you know why there are so many accidents? because driver's ed is a joke. if you can't pass it, you have to be seriously stupid and incompetent IMO.

make driver's ed difficult, teach useful driving techniques, and especially cover emergency situations. something closer to the high performance driving academies where you get to go on a skid pad, learn how to control when you hydroplane or lose traction in snow, etc.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

So basically age discrimination.
.

You mean like needing to be 16 to drive, 21 to drink, 35 to run for president and 65 to collect Social Security?

 

[boochi]

Would you hit it? I would.

 

[erikistired]

Would you hit it? I would.

Brittany Guntang, 17,

no.

 

[destrekor]

i would be okay with funding a small jail for speeding offenders, and expand the law to cover anyone doing a certain amount over the speed limit. 30 days in jail will open up some eyes and make people realize it's not worth it, and it's not that long that we will need a mega prison for it.

repeat offenders can go to the big house.

driving like an a'hole should totally be a crime.

bullshit

One: it's not worth the cost to house people who are doing minor moving violations like 15-30mph over the speed limit (unless schoolzone/neighborhood - even then, stipulations are key). Two: that's just downright ridiculous.


For those under 18 and on provisional licenses? This is a good move. While there are those who fit such category and have a strong driving ability and have every right to be confident in their handling skills (it's actually not that difficult, it just requires someone who is willing to pay attention to details ), even when threading the needle / pushing the limits of grip/performance... ultimately, there are too many variables with youth, and it is well understood they can be cocky/over-confident and not understand their own shortcomings.
Not that that changes once your 18, but at least a few years (and a few close calls) tends to help sharpen your abilities.


But for legal adults, I see no reason to change anything about speeding. Speed limits are asinine as it is, unrealistic and only serve to impede those of us who know how to drive... especially because said speed limits seem to terrify other people who drive SLOWER than the speed limit. Then they become a hazard to everyone who is travelling at least the speed limit.

Even in my RWD Dakota (one that in some ways is falling apart ), 85-90mph on curving highways (during daylight with traffic, no rain... hell, even in the dark if traffic is lighter/known stretches of road) is easily within my handling abilities - including reacting to dangerous decisions made by other members of traffic, clueless driving, or even animals or other random obstacles or things that would otherwise require high-speed reactions and good handling skills to save in the event of diminished/lost grip.

I'll pay tickets in the event I don't get a chance to react to a cop before they see me - but speed limits are only for those who honestly shouldn't be behind the wheel in the first place. More people driving the speed limit terrify me than those who speed. Some speeders are reckless and terrifying, true... but more awful drivers are out there going the speed limit (or less) than there are awful drivers reaching excessive speeds.

Now on city/rural streets, it gets a little different... but I don't care to make this a lengthy post (... lengthier than it already is).

 

[erikistired]

bullshit

One: it's not worth the cost to house people who are doing minor moving violations like 15-30mph over the speed limit (unless schoolzone/neighborhood - even then, stipulations are key). Two: that's just downright ridiculous.


For those under 18 and on provisional licenses? This is a good move. While there are those who fit such category and have a strong driving ability and have every right to be confident in their handling skills (it's actually not that difficult, it just requires someone who is willing to pay attention to details ), even when threading the needle / pushing the limits of grip/performance... ultimately, there are too many variables with youth, and it is well understood they can be cocky/over-confident and not understand their own shortcomings.
Not that that changes once your 18, but at least a few years (and a few close calls) tends to help sharpen your abilities.


But for legal adults, I see no reason to change anything about speeding. Speed limits are asinine as it is, unrealistic and only serve to impede those of us who know how to drive... especially because said speed limits seem to terrify other people who drive SLOWER than the speed limit. Then they become a hazard to everyone who is travelling at least the speed limit.

Even in my RWD Dakota (one that in some ways is falling apart ), 85-90mph on curving highways (during daylight with traffic, no rain... hell, even in the dark if traffic is lighter/known stretches of road) is easily within my handling abilities - including reacting to dangerous decisions made by other members of traffic, clueless driving, or even animals or other random obstacles or things that would otherwise require high-speed reactions and good handling skills to save in the event of diminished/lost grip.

I'll pay tickets in the event I don't get a chance to react to a cop before they see me - but speed limits are only for those who honestly shouldn't be behind the wheel in the first place. More people driving the speed limit terrify me than those who speed. Some speeders are reckless and terrifying, true... but more awful drivers are out there going the speed limit (or less) than there are awful drivers reaching excessive speeds.

Now on city/rural streets, it gets a little different... but I don't care to make this a lengthy post (... lengthier than it already is).

it's never necessary to go 15+ over the speed limit. it's fun, sure, but it's not necessary. save it for track day, boy racer, before you kill someone.

 

[MtnMan]

Driving is a privilege.

The law will save lives.

 

[boochi]

no.

No? The age of consent is 16 in this state. I miss high school and college when most all the girls were good and tight. These women in their 30's whistle when they go commando.

 

[Doppel]

Idiot cop who said he'd rather call the parent from jail instead of the dreaded knock as if either one was even odds.

I initially said stupid law but on the other hand I wish this law had been around when I was a kid. Teenagers are incredibly sh*ty and unsafe drivers. If I had known that I would actually go to freaking jail I bet my friends and I wouldn't have tried to double the speed limit, hit the electronic governor, etc. and generally act like complete maniacs behind the wheel. We were constantly speeding, constantly racing, constantly flooring our cars, constantly squealing around corners.

 

[erikistired]

No? The age of consent is 16 in this state. I miss high school and college when most all the girls were good and tight. These women in their 30's whistle when they go commando.

it's not 16 here. perhaps you are dating the wrong kind of women.

 

[SKORPI0]

I'd hit Guntangs Poontang.

"I would much rather make a phone call to a parent to tell them that their child is at the magistrate's office rather than make that dreaded knock on the door to say that their child is no longer with us due to a motor vehicle collision," First Sgt. Jeff Gordon, of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, said.

Nicely put, too many eager teens losing their lives (and their passengers) because of reckless driving.

 

[Exterous]

better driver education and training > more laws

you know why there are so many accidents? because driver's ed is a joke. if you can't pass it, you have to be seriously stupid and incompetent IMO.

make driver's ed difficult, teach useful driving techniques, and especially cover emergency situations. something closer to the high performance driving academies where you get to go on a skid pad, learn how to control when you hydroplane or lose traction in snow, etc.

And make it more expensive and limit the number of times you can retake the test. People treat it as a joke because you can take it as many times you want for very little $