Our legislators have promised us change and a brighter future for our state’s youth. Making their safety a top priority should be a cornerstone of that promise. Life-saving legislation that protects our youngest and most vulnerable drivers would be a good place to start.
Crash statistics involving teen drivers are sobering. Crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and they are three times as likely to crash as more experienced drivers.
Using cell phones while driving, driving or riding with their peers or driving late at night all significantly increase teen drivers’ already high crash risk. Laws prohibiting these practices will help reduce that risk and make our roadways safer for everyone.
As the leader of the Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition, an initiative of the National Safety Council and The Allstate Foundation, I implore our lawmakers to become strong advocates for teen driving safety.
The first year of licensure is the most dangerous year for new drivers and strong driving laws are proven to reduce crashes. Let’s make the next few years the safest for Maryland teen drivers.
Cathy Gillen, leader
Maryland Teen Safe Driving Coalition
Hanover
Editorials
Lawmakers should make teen driving safety a major priority
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Walk Smart
Many local residents will be visiting Ocean City this summer, so it is worth noting that the resort has launched a campaign that it hopes will keep pedestrians out of harm’s way.
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Frostburg’s Bridge Program was important
After hearing rumors of possible changes being made, I just wanted to take a few minutes to put into words what the Frostburg Bridge Program meant to me as a child. Growing up in Frostburg, my parents were small business owners, my mother a teacher, and my father worked for the postal service.
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Trailer case bound to increase scrutiny on town of Piedmont
This letter is in response to the recent story concerning the guilty plea entered in federal court by Piedmont’s town foreman (“Piedmont town foreman Shingler enters guilty plea,” May 21 Times-News, Page 1A).
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Fixing community’s problems starts with your young people
I am writing this letter to the editor because I think our community really needs to work on plenty of issues. Some of them are:
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High priority
Maryland school officials on Tuesday put an exclamation point on the need to take student-athlete concussions more seriously.
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Cashing in
As anyone who lives in the area knows, economic gains have been hard to come by in recent years. The opening of the Rocky Gap Casino Resort is one of the biggest boosts the region has seen in some time.
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Why have the media been silent all this time?
When I read the Cumberland Times-News Editorial this morning, Friday, May 17, entitled, “Outrageous,” I laughed like a kid at a birthday party!
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What are chances this much money will be spent on road?
I was intrigued by cost data summarized in reporter Kathy Mellott’s recent article, “Completing southern link of U.S. Route 219 said to be best use of highway funds,” which appeared in the Cumberland Times-News on Tuesday May 14 (Page 1A).
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School board should be doing better job with less money
The Allegany County Teachers Association (ACTA) board of directors recently submitted a letter to the editor asking the Allegany County commissioners to fully fund the Board of Education’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year (“Commissioners should fund school board request,” April 29 Times-News).
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Better ‘Click It’
If you notice more police on the highway this week, it’s for a couple of reasons.
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