By Associated Press
Birmingham, AL – Alabama has been ranked in the bottom 10 states for having laws that promote safe driving.
A coalition group called Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety gave Alabama a score of 7 out of a possible 15 for the strength of its driving laws, behinf 41 other states.
The Birmingham News says Alabama scored high for allowing police to pull over a driver for not wearing a safety belt and for requiring motorcyclists wear helmets. It also scored for its ban on open alcoholic-beverage containers and a requirement of six months' supervision for new teen-age drivers. But the group called for the state to raise the age for a learner's permit to 16 and to restrict cell-phone use by teen drivers.
The coalition was formed by insurance, consumer, safety and medical organizations.