By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Four driving restrictions could prove the most effective at reducing teen-involved fatal car crashes, but no state in the United States has adopted all of them as law, said a national safety group.

"Every state has a problem with teen driving. There is just no exception," said Judith Lee Stone, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, an alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies based in Washington, D.C. "But there is great hope for the future on this issue."

Eight Greater Cincinnati teens died in seven car crashes between Feb. 14 and March 19. Several area lawmakers last week said they like the idea of limiting how many passengers a teen driver can transport at one time, which is one of the four rules Stone's group identified as effective.

The other three optimal provisions of "graduated driver licensing systems" are:

• A six-month learner's permit period, when an adult driver must accompany teen drivers.

• At least 30 hours of supervised driving before beginners can advance to an "intermediate" license stage.

• A ban on nighttime driving for intermediate drivers, beginning at 9 or 10 p.m.

The Ohio Department of Public Safety is recommending the changes. If lawmakers approve them, Ohio could become the first state meeting all four provisions. Changes to Kentucky's law are pending.

Ohio and Kentucky teen-driving laws currently rank "average," above eight states whose laws are "poor" but below a dozen states with "good" laws.

Stone, whose organization has pushed for stricter teen-driving laws for a decade, agrees with other experts and local parents who responded to media reports on the rash of teen-involved crashes. They say laws aren't enough. They want changes in attitudes, parenting, education and enforcement.

"I am all for stricter laws ... (but) the parents need to step in and help with this," no matter how busy they are, said Cynthia Miraldi, a 47-year-old Springdale mother of two.

Howard Abel, 60, of Fairfield Township, said some parents are setting bad examples. "Many of these teenagers are merely copying actions of their parents," he said. "Drive down I-75 at the posted rate of speed, 55 miles per hour, between the GE plant and the Hopple Street exit. You will find 95 percent of the cars pass you."

Connie Valerio, a grandmother from White Oak, called to say she was upset about TV commercials glamorizing fast, flashy cars. "It just seems terrible to me that we have these ads on TV. I think it influences the kids. ... It's very disturbing," she said.

Local officials, though, are taking action.

On Monday, authorities in Warren County will release a plan for reducing all traffic fatalities. Since March 2003, 12 people have died in 11 crashes - all in the Franklin-Springboro area. Three of those killed were age 20 and under.

On Tuesday, Butler County - hardest-hit by the recent teen deaths - will announce a plan to address and prevent teenage crashes. The recent crashes have all involved either speeding, drunken-driving or not wearing a seat belt.

"If we had near-to-perfect behavior in all three of those areas, we could definitely get the number (of traffic deaths) down," Stone said. The four teen-driving regulations, defined as optimal by Stone's group, are linked to reductions in fatalities, she said. Maryland became the first state with a partial graduated licensing system in 1979. By 1983, that state saw a 5 percent reduction in crashes for drivers ages 16 and 17, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

Other states have had successes, too. But a Journal of Safety Research article said more research is needed to pinpoint what restrictions work best.

Persuading teens to comply with driving laws is difficult, the article said. Limiting passengers in a car driven by a teen may be one of the most important restrictions, studies indicate.

One study found adding one passenger almost doubled the fatal crash risk compared with driving alone. More passengers further increase that risk, as young drivers face distractions and peer pressure to show off, studies say.

Whatever steps are taken, Stone says parents need to remain vigilant even after drivers become young adults. Crash rates remain high for drivers ages 18 and 19, she said.

"These problems don't magically disappear overnight when a teenager turns 18," Stone said. "So parents need to stay involved in their child's lives so they can help them make healthy decisions behind the wheel."

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com