Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, heard about the 17-year-old boy killed in a single-vehicle crash earlier this month and had one thought: “We need to do something.”
“It just happens too often,” Pike said. “I’m still focused on trying to find a solution; we have a high percentage of teen driving fatalities in Clark County.”
The details surrounding the death of Adam C. Karlsen of La Center remain unknown. And Pike’s predominant idea to reduce the fatalities of teenage drivers — by requiring them to display a “New Driver” sticker on the back of their vehicle — would likely not have helped Karlsen, who died in a single-vehicle accident.
But Pike is on a mission and in the midst of creating a teen driving safety task force to seek solutions.
“If you have an idea that is going to reduce this high percentage of teen accidents, I’m all ears, because what we’re doing now isn’t working,” Pike said.
The task force’s first meeting is 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. June 4 in the community room at the Camas Police Department. The public is invited.
A Washington Traffic Safety Commission report from 2013 showed eight people were killed and 64 seriously injured in crashes involving drivers between the ages of 16 to 25 in Clark County.
During the regular legislative session, Pike introduced a measure that would have established a pilot program in Clark County requiring drivers under the age of 18 to display a “New Driver” decal on their vehicles. If caught without the sticker, the young driver could have been required to perform community service. The measure failed in the Senate.
While trying to convince her fellow lawmakers, Pike said a similar law passed in New Jersey in 2009 reduced the number of teenagers involved in car crashes by about 9.5 percent, or about 3,200 fewer crashes. She maintained it helped other drivers to be more aware that a new driver was on the road.
Pike’s bill was criticized by those who felt it could make children targets.
“To put a label on their car is asking for problems,” said Paquita Rupp of Vancouver.
Rupp, who worked in local school districts before retiring, said she would rather have a new law call out those who have been caught speeding or driving under the influence several times.
But really, she said, there are better solutions to fix the problem Pike is raising.
“My preference would be get the driver instruction classes back in the high school, instead of private driving classes,” Rupp said. “That was the best thing to ever happen (for teenage drivers) for years.”
