The recent teen driver tragedy in Glastonbury, CT, has left the community mourning. As a parent, it is impossible not to feel the weight of such a loss. Moments like these are devastating and a powerful reminder of why the work I do, advocating for policies that protect young drivers and keep children safe, is so important.
The Role of Advocacy in Child Health
Recently, I submitted testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly’s Transportation Committee in opposition to SB 234, An Act Permitting Sixteen and Seventeen-Year-Old Drivers to Transport Siblings. Submitting testimony is an important part of advocacy and one of the ways organizations like Connecticut Children’s share research, expertise, and real-world experience with policymakers as they consider legislation that affects children and families across our state.
This work is made possible through close collaboration with Connecticut Children’s Government Relations team, which helps ensure that the perspectives of clinicians, researchers, and community health leaders are included in state-level policy discussions. Our Government Relations team plays a critical role in monitoring legislation, connecting experts with lawmakers, and translating research and data into meaningful policy conversations. Their partnership allows subject matter experts like myself to contribute directly to the legislative process.
Connecting Research, Policy, and Prevention
At Connecticut Children’s, advocacy is an important part of advancing children’s health and well-being. The Office for Community Child Health (OCCH) supports this work by addressing the social and environmental factors that influence child health through research, partnerships, policy, and cross-sector collaboration.
Within OCCH, the Injury Prevention Center focuses specifically on preventing harm and injury, which remain among the leading threats to children and teens. Teen driver safety is a key area of this work, and strong, evidence-informed policies play an essential role in keeping young drivers and everyone on the road safer.
What Research Tells Us About Passenger Risk
Connecticut has made meaningful progress in teen driver safety through its graduated driver licensing laws. These laws are designed to help teens gain driving experience gradually while reducing risk during their earliest months of driving. Since the state strengthened these laws in 2008, Connecticut has seen a 20 to 30 percent reduction in teen motor vehicle crashes. This progress reflects the impact of thoughtful, evidence-based policymaking.
The bill I testified on, SB 234, would allow newly licensed 16 and 17 year old drivers to transport their siblings before completing the first six months of driving restrictions required by current law. While the proposal is intended to address family convenience, research consistently shows that teen drivers are safest when they do not have peer or sibling passengers during their earliest months of driving. Those first months are critical for building experience, confidence, and safe driving habits.
Under current law, newly licensed teen drivers are not allowed to transport passengers during their first six months of licensure unless the passenger is a parent or responsible adult. After six months, they are allowed to drive with immediate family members, including siblings. This phased approach allows teens to gain driving experience while limiting distractions and reducing risk to themselves, their passengers, and others on the road.
Moving Forward
Submitting testimony is one way Connecticut Children’s experts work alongside our Government Relations team to inform policy discussions and advocate for the safety and well-being of children. Through these efforts, and through the broader work of the Office for Community Child Health, we strive to ensure that policies affecting children and families are grounded in research, informed by expertise, and guided by a shared commitment to protecting and supporting every child’s health and safety. Our thoughts remain with the Glastonbury community as they process this tragic loss and work toward healing.