Teen wants drivers education courses mandatory

Sunday, January 20, 2008

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T.J.'s proposed bill would make drivers education courses mandatory.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A 15-year old boy is proposing a bill that would require drivers education classes for every student.

Currently, the courses are optional.

But Chamberlain High School sophomore T.J. Mouse wants to change that. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for his age group.

"There's a lot of stubborn kids, like think they can do whatever they want behind the wheel," Mouse said. "Since teens cause a lot of the deaths and accidents throughout the state of Florida and the country this would be best area to pick a bill for."

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Mouse won Representative Kevin Ambler's Ought to be a Law contest. Now, Ambler will help him navigate through the system.

"We train them how to lobby we do workshops," Ambler said. "And we teach them how to research and put together presentations then we bring those students up in groups of 6 to 8 and they present to every substantive committee in the house and senate that hears the bill."

Mouse thought of the idea after driving with his teenage friends. He noticed they were texting and weaving in and out of traffic among other things.

The teen says he thought of the idea for the bill after seeing his friend texting while driving and doing other dangerous habits.

"If this law was passed there would be more safety throughout the state of Florida and teens would be better drivers," Mouse said.

"T.J. even mentioned we're not even old enough to vote but we can write some laws, which is kinda neat," said Mouse's teacher teacher Stacy Wrenn. "He speaks from first hand experience of having crazy friends."

The Ought to be a Law contest started in 2004.