Now Annie must wait at least six more months. Not much time in the eyes of her father, Bob. But for Annie, who would like to drive teammates to next summer's softball games, it is a huge chunk of high school life. Yeah, I can drive. Only California and Massachusetts have all three rules.
Most naysayers are in the South and West, where rural legislators are resistant.
The critics rely on the image of the family farm, teens working alongside Mom and Dad in the field and on the road. Historically, it's almost like a God-given right, when you're 16 years old, you receive your driver's license. The suburbs and the city, too, have glorified teens and automobiles, from muscle cars to trips to the mall. But nostalgia doesn't overcome today's worries. Most legislators looked at it as a parent or a grandparent, because they're closer in age and experience to that.