Bereaved mothers plead for teen-driving curbs

The most impassioned pleas for Senate action on legislation that would help put Pennsylvania in line with a majority of states on teen-driving safety resonate with grief - and urgency.

Marlene Case and Karen Cantamaglia, both of whom lost teenage sons last year, challenged lawmakers this week in Harrisburg to reach an agreement that would save lives.

After years of failed attempts to strengthen the state's graduated drivers' licensing law, the state House passed House Bill 67 in April 2009, and the Senate is discussing it this week, with a vote possible later this month. Despite pressure from a growing number of advocates, opposition remains strong, lawmakers say.

As introduced by Rep. Joseph F. Markosek (D., Allegheny), chairman of the Transportation Committee, the bill would limit a teenage driver to one nonfamily passenger under 18, ban teenagers from from using cell phones and sending text messages, and make teenagers' failure to buckle up a primary offense. Under state law, an unbelted driver can be cited only if pulled over for another reason.

Supporters say momentum is on their side. Newspaper editorials supporting teen-driving limits have appeared across the state, and numerous surveys by insurance companies and the AAA say a majority of Pennsylvania residents back the proposed changes.

Pennsylvania is one of only six states with no limits on teenage passengers.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) said this week that he expected "strongly held opinions" to be aired during the debate.

"I think everyone is interested in trying to reduce distracted driving . . . and still be practical," he said.

Pileggi said that although he supported restrictions, he backed a Senate amendment to the bill that would increase the passenger limit to three nonfamily members after six months of blemish-free driving. He said families in some of the state's more sparsely populated areas rely heavily on car-pooling.

Daniel Wehner, president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, this week urged the Senate to withdraw the amendment, saying all the states that border Pennsylvania allow no more than one teenage passenger.

Markosek said he did not believe "inconvenience should trump safety."

The passenger-limit provision is known as Lacey's Law, in memory of Lacey Gallagher, a Philadelphia teenager who died in a prom-night car crash in 2007 that injured six other teenagers.

Flaura Winston, a pediatrician who founded and directs the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said statistics show that limits save lives.

"Just one teen passenger doubles the risk a teen driver will get into a fatal crash; three or more passengers quadruples the risk," she said.

Andrew Case, 17, of Pottstown, and Michael Cantamaglia, 16, of Barto, were among five teenage passengers in an SUV on Nov. 23 when its newly licensed driver lost control of the vehicle after smoking pot.

"We all miss Andrew and Mike terribly, and we will continue to pray for them for the rest of our lives," Marlene Case said at a news conference Monday in Harrisburg.

Case said she and her family would continue to lobby for laws that will ensure "that other families don't experience a tragedy like this."

Karen Cantamaglia, who spoke publicly for the first time since her son's funeral Nov. 28, said she was appalled when she learned that lawmakers had been discussing limits for teen drivers since 1999, and she had a strong message for parents who "whine about the inconvenience of having to run their children to activities."

"I would sell my soul to the devil to have that inconvenience back in my life," she said, urging lawmakers to "reach the decision that will be beneficial to the entire commonwealth."