Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/31/1994 08:00 AM House STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 430 - LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR DRIVERS CHAIRMAN VEZEY opened HB 430, sponsored by REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN, for discussion. He recognized a new committee substitute was before the committee. He asked if there was a motion to adopt CSHB 430, version E. Number 332 REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS so moved. Number 335 CHAIRMAN VEZEY, hearing no objection, adopted CSHB 430. Number 337 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN, sponsor, addressed CSHB 430. He stated at the previous hearing regarding HB 430 there had been a question about young persons who might be employed after the one o'clock curfew. He directed the committee to page 2, beginning line 25, which addresses this question. So long as the person who may have been driving is driving to or from, on the most direct route, his place of work to his place of living, he/she would be excluded. Number 357 JUANITA HENSLEY, CHIEF OF DRIVER SERVICES, DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (DPS), answered questions on CSHB 430. She directed the committee to a letter of March 18, 1994, which was written to her by the Trauma Registry Coordinator, Emergency Medical Services Section, Department of Health & Social Services. The letter stated the average cost of hospitalization for a person under the age of 21 involved in a serious accident is $25,984. This cost does not include rehabilitation costs or costs to the physicians themselves. MS. HENSLEY reviewed a second table entitled, 1992 ALASKA DRIVERS IN TRAFFIC CRASHES, prepared by the roadway and accident file from DPS. This table states the number of licensed drivers in Alaska, their ages, and the percentages of those drivers. She pointed out the age group that CSHB 430 addresses only comprises 6.2 percent of all licensed drivers in the state of Alaska. MS. HENSLEY compared that percentage to the next chart entitled, ALASKA YOUTH CRASH STATISTICS - 1979 THRU 1992. The 16-20 age group is over-represented in the number of crashes, and the number of injury and fatal crashes, they have. She noted in 1992, Alaska had a total of 89 fatality crashes including all ages. Of these 89 crashes, 21 involved youth. Therefore, they represented 23.6 percent of the total fatal crashes in Alaska. In 1992, Alaska had a total of 50 alcohol crashes, of which nine involved youth. Therefore, 42.9 percent of youth crashes involved alcohol. MS. HENSLEY examined the third chart entitled, ALASKA YOUTH CRASH DEATH STATISTICS - 1979 THRU 1992. This chart stated of the 89 total crashes in 1992, there was a total of 108 deaths. Of the 108 deaths, 25 or 23.1 percent were youth. Of the 89 total crashes, there were 61 alcohol fatalities, 10 of which involved youth. Number 417 CHAIRMAN VEZEY clarified 41 percent of alcohol related accidents involved people under 21. MS. HENSLEY corrected 40 percent. MS. HENSLEY referred to another pie chart entitled, 1992 INJURY AND FATAL CRASH DRIVERS, which breaks down two hour segments of time in a day. She pointed out in 1992, 32 percent of injury and fatal youth crashes were between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. She repeated the 16-20 age group is only 6.2 percent of the licensed drivers, as opposed to the other 92 percent which are over the age of 21. In comparison of the two age groups, the 1992 injury and fatal crashes between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. involve 32 percent of youth, whereas only 23 percent involve those 21 or older. Number 446 CHAIRMAN VEZEY inquired if he could assume all of the fatalities involving youth occurred between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. MS. HENSLEY answered of the 32 percent, yes. REPRESENTATIVE GREEN clarified not all teenage deaths occur during those hours, just a propensity. Number 451 CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked if was correct in assuming that all of the alcohol related teenage fatalities occurred between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. MS. HENSLEY replied she had not done that chart; however, she could get that information transmitted from Department of Transportation. MS. HENSLEY commented the injuries and fatalities are basically the same for youths and those over 21, even during mid-day for the same amount of drivers. She emphasized the youth only make up 6.2 percent of drivers, therefore they are over-represented in the statistics. CHAIRMAN VEZEY clarified 6.2 percent. Number 462 MS. HENSLEY stated 12.9 percent of the overall crashes in Alaska involved youth under the age of 21. She noted 12.9 percent was quite high for only comprising 6.2 percent of the licensed drivers. MS. HENSLEY referred to an article entitled, STATUS REPORT, March 19, 1994, by the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety. This report addresses the intent of CSHB 430 and how it proposes to reduce crash rates and fatalities. MS. HENSLEY referred back to the letter sent to her by the EMS which showed the average hospitalization cost is $25,984 for each individual, per accident. She did not know what percentage did not involve insurance or what the societal cost to the state was. She believed, however, it would be quite substantial. She stated 184 patients were in this category where the average cost of hospitalization was $25,984 per patient. The physician fees and rehabilitation costs were not included in this average. She noted 21 patients, or 11.4 percent, were discharged with disabilities, and 11 patients were discharged to a rehabilitation center. Number 497 CHAIRMAN VEZEY clarified the group of drivers under the age of 21 represented 6.2 percent of the driving population. He stated 32 percent of the total injury and fatal crashes, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. involved youth. He inquired if the statistic meant injury and fatality, or injury and/or fatality. MS. HENSLEY answered injury and/or fatality. She compared that number to individuals over 21 who are involved in 23 percent of the crashes. Number 530 CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked what percentage of fatalities youth were involved in. MS. HENSLEY replied 42.9 percent were involved in fatal crashes. Youth deaths were 40 percent of the 108 fatalities in 1992. She emphasized they only represent 6.2 percent of all the licensed drivers. She pointed out this trend is nationwide. She hoped to be able to present a chart examining the statistics based on the days of the week. For example, were Friday and Saturday nights higher than Monday through Thursday. Number 547 REPRESENTATIVE ULMER stated she believed the numbers were very convincing and she moved to pass CSHB 430 out of committee. She complimented MS. HENSLEY on the charts. Number 552 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT asked where the charts came from. MS. HENSLEY responded they were developed from information received from the Highway Safety Planning (HSP) agency. The Governor's representative for HSP put together the pie chart. The information for the pie charts was received from DOT's roadway and accident files. She noted DOT has a complete database of all the accidents occurring in Alaska. Number 559 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT inquired about the non-pie charts. MS. HENSLEY answered the non-pie charts were also put together by HSP. Number 561 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT commented the numbers represented for the total fatalities for those drivers under 21 did not explicitly prove to him that youths were behind the wheel driving. They could have only been in the vehicle. MS. HENSLEY replied REPRESENTATIVE KOTT was correct; however, statistics broken down by the age of the driver, show teenage drivers are usually behind the wheel. Number 572 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT gave the example of a 17 year old fatality involved in an accident where the parents were driving. He noted this type of fatality would be included in the chart. He questioned the statistics given. Number 576 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN believed the debate was going from "statistics to fantasy..." He suggested, by the same example, that a mature driver could be driving whereby a teenager was killed, or the reverse. He believed the question was not germane to CSHB 430. He reminded the committee of the rates insurance companies charge for drivers in the under 21 category, versus the mature driver. He noted there is a reason the cost for young drivers was more than twice as much. REPRESENTATIVE KOTT stated he was trying to draw some correlation between a youthful driver and their action. He stated this was the key to CSHB 430. If 80 percent of the statistics before the committee dealt with fatalities of those under 21 who were passengers, then the data is skewed and disproportionate. He questioned if the 40 percent of youth involved in fatalities actually reflected their driving habits. Number 600 MS. HENSLEY directed REPRESENTATIVE KOTT to the ALASKA YOUTH CRASH DEATH STATISTICS and pointed out of the 108 deaths, 10 involved alcohol. She emphasized 40 percent of youth accident deaths involved alcohol. She believed this was an awful high percentage. Number 606 CHAIRMAN VEZEY questioned what the 10 alcohol youth deaths represented 40 percent of. Number 616 MS. HENSLEY corrected she had meant 40 percent of the total number of teenagers killed involved alcohol deaths. There was a total of 61 alcohol related accident deaths in 1992. She clarified 10 alcohol youth accident deaths out of 61 total would be 16.4 percent. There were a total of 25 youth crashes. Number 619 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT questioned if the alcohol related fatalities were taken out, would there still be a disproportionate number of crashes involving those under 21. Number 622 MS. HENSLEY believed the statistics would still be as high. She referred to the pie chart which states during the daytime, 32 percent of youth are involved in injury and fatal crashes. She compared this to the adult evening statistic of 23 percent. She estimated about 36 percent of adults were involved in crashes during the daytime. Number 635 CHAIRMAN VEZEY stated there was a motion before the committee, however, he would hold the motion until next week because a fiscal note was not provided with the committee substitute. Number 638 REPRESENTATIVE ULMER withdrew her motion. Number 640 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN stated they do not get fiscal notes until there is a reason for them. He asked if CSHB 430 would be killed. Number 645 CHAIRMAN VEZEY replied he did not believe there would be amendments to CSHB 430. Number 646 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT said he might want to offer an amendment to page 2, line 3, which raises the age of those that can accompany a permit driver from 19. He stated he would be more inclined to make the accompaniment a parent or legal guardian. Number 654 MS. HENSLEY addressed REPRESENTATIVE KOTT's proposed amendment. If the provision was made a parent or legal guardian, then those individuals would be excluded from being able to take professional driver training. Number 656 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT felt an allowance could be made. Number 659 REPRESENTATIVE ULMER remembered there was a deadline for personal sponsored bills in House Rules, and noted CSHB 430 was also referred to Finance. She wanted to move it out of committee. Number 663 MS. HENSLEY stated she believed CSHB 430 would have a zero fiscal note. She mentioned the High Risk Drivers Act presently in Congress which has passed one house and is in the other, would give the states $1.2 million to implement the CSHB 430 program. She said it was their intention to apply for Section 402 grants for any costs of implementation. Number 670 CHAIRMAN VEZEY clarified CSHB 430 would have a zero fiscal note. With the assurance of a zero fiscal note and REPRESENTATIVE ULMER's annotation that CSHB 430 be moved from committee, he stated there was no reason CSHB 430 could not be moved from committee. CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked the committee secretary to call the roll. IN FAVOR: REPRESENTATIVES VEZEY, KOTT, ULMER, G. DAVIS, SANDERS. ABSENT: REPRESENTATIVES B. DAVIS, OLBERG. MOTION PASSED (REPRESENTATIVE KOTT left the meeting at 9:36 a.m.)
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