Underage Driving in California

Last week when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed the bill outlawing driving and using electronic devices by California's teenagers he made a big imposition on the freedoms of people in that age group. Shouldn't issues like that be up to the parents and young drivers to decide? It's kind of a personal issue about knowing what you as a driver can handle. Some young drivers perhaps shouldn't doing more than simply driving, but clumping all teens under age 18 into that category is a big generalization. Some young pople are much more mature than others and would be able to handle the responsibility well. Most teenagers that drive have cell phones for a reason: so parents can know where they are at and if there is some kind of emergency. What if they have an accident and need to contact their parents and let them know what's happening? Now most of the time if an accident occurs, the student wouldn't still be driving, but "accident" is kind of a broad term and there are millions of unforseeable situations that teens can get themselves into that may require a phone call. And what if the parents have some sort of emergency and need to get ahold of their children? If their son or daughter happens to be driving when they get the call and, because of this law they can't answer the phone, the parents will worry because they don't answer. Even though these drivers are young, they have rights too. This law imposes so much on the freedoms of young drivers.
On the other hand, young drivers don't have as much experience driving and are much more easily distracted behind the wheel of a car. Really, this law is about protecting everyone involved. Young drivers can get so involved with talking on the phone and texting while driving that they could be a hazard to themselves and other drivers. Cell phones are a good thing, if used in the right way, and the right way isn't while they're driving. Emergencies happen, but if there is an emergency, usually there's a place where teens can pull over and make a phonecall; that way they're not jeopordizing their own safety and the safety of everyone else. There's always somewhere to stop and call. And if parents have to get ahold of their children, they can have certain check-in points or some other system depending on what they decide is best for them and their teen. This is a law that most parents can agree with and feel secure about, knowing that their rules are not only being enforced by them but by the law as well. This is a law to protect everyone.