The Loveville Office of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration unveiled a new exhibit that marks the entrance to the property - a mangled up car.

 Herb Butler, Manager of the Loveville MVA, gave the following remarks at the unveiling Thursday:

 Back in January there was a terribly wrecked car on display at the Leonardtown State Police Barrack. That wrecked car made an impression on me and was the start of a review of our Driver Licensing procedures at this office, particularly the handling of new teen drivers.

 Young drivers are disproportionately at fault in motor vehicle crashes in Southern Maryland.   The percentage of young drivers’ at-fault in all crashes for Maryland is at a rate of 17.5%.  In St. Mary’s County young drivers are at at-fault in all crashes at a rate of 27%, young drivers are at-fault in Charles County at a rate of 24.6% and in Calvert County at a rate of 29%.  Young drivers represent only 8% of licensed drivers in Southern Maryland.

 Recently, a staggering number of our young people, sons and daughters, friends and loved ones have died as a result of young driver motor vehicle crashes.  Most, if not all, can be attributed to driver inexperience.  And many of the fatalities were the result of other contributing factors including speed, lack of restraints or safety belt use, passengers, or other distractions.

 As we reviewed Driver Licensing procedures at the Loveville branch, staff observed parents arriving with their teen who are in pursuit of obtaining a provisional driver’s license. Both the parents and teens are extremely excited when the teen is successful in completing his or her skills testing. Many celebrated the event.  The teen driver should be congratulated on a job well done.  However, the issuance of a provisional license is not cause for parents to stop supervised driving practice with their teen.

 Driver’s education and the required 60 hours of behind the wheel practice with parents and guardians is just the beginning of making teens “good” drivers.  Parents and guardians must set firm expectations for their teen driver and must continue to routinely practice and review appropriate driving behavior.  Additionally, parents and guardians must review and hold firm to the legal restrictions regarding provisional licensing, such as adhering to passenger restrictions, use of cell phones or text messaging while driving, wearing seat belts at all times and obeying all traffic rules. At Loveville, when we process these licenses, we are reminding the parents of teens under 18 that they have an absolute right to withdraw their consent for these teens and this will result in the immediate suspension of the license. This is a tool some parents may need to enforce their driving rules and to address the teen driver who is being unsafe or reckless.

 The message made public today will hopefully serve as a reminder to parents and teen drivers as they visit the Motor Vehicle Administration of the serious and often heartbreaking outcomes which can result from poor, negligent or improper teen driver behavior.

 This effort could not have taken place without the financial and logistical support of Duke May of Allstate Insurance and Mr. Randy Whitley of Brandywine Automotive Center.  Law enforcement, elected officials, state and county agencies, schools and advocates stand together in an effort to recognize, develop and implement new ways to address the serious issues regarding young drivers.  However, parents and guardians are most influential in teaching and enforcing proper driving behaviors in their young drivers.