Local teens itching to get behind the wheel say they aren't happy the Legislature is considering putting the brakes on their driving.

`` There are drivers who are 16 1 / sub 2 out there who do drive responsibly,'' said Costas Sivyllis, 15, of Norton. `` Some of us have worked hard to earn trust with our parents, and now they do trust us.''

`` It's like punishing the whole class because one person was talking,'' he said.

Sivyllis is enrolled in a driver's education course at Bishop Feehan High School, where he is a freshman, and looks forward to getting his license in about a year -- if the laws haven't changed by then.

Many other students enrolled in the same course also wondered about their future status as drivers, and felt less than excited about the prospect of waiting an extra year to get behind the wheel. They said that changing the age to drive isn't going to solve the problem of irresponsible drivers -- it's just going to delay potentially irresponsible driving by a year.

They also cited a list of problems and complications the new law would create.

Chief among them was the fact that many teens would be getting their licenses around prom time, a time of year notorious for drinking, peer pressure and generally irresponsible behavior.

When those factors are coupled with inexperience behind the wheel, they said, it could spell disaster.

There also wouldn't be enough time to gain driving experience before heading off to college, they said.

And then there's the issue of just plain getting around.

`` My parents, they can't wait for me to drive,'' said Anastacia Luce, 15, of Wrentham.

Luce said her mother's hands sometimes hurt when she has to drive long distances, and that keeping the driving age where it is now would `` just be better the whole way around.''

Ryan Phillips, 15, of Walpole, said the new law would just add to the nuisance of `asking mom for a ride home from a friend's house,' and would make it harder for teens who have jobs.

Cailee Smith, 15, of Pawtucket said that considering her conflicting schedule with her younger brother, who plays basketball, she'd have an even harder time getting to figure skating practice. `` Ice rinks aren't exactly the easiest things to come across, so you have to do a lot of driving,'' she said.

Many students said a better solution would be to keep the driving age the same, but require more education and driving experience beforehand.

Jessica Murphy, 15, of Attleboro said her ex-boyfriend got his license at 17 with no previous driving education.

`` I wouldn't sit in the car with him,'' she said.

Abdul Samma agrees that experience, and not age, is the key factor in what makes for a good driver.

A university-certified driving instructor for 34 years and proprietor of Abdul's Auto Academy in North Attleboro, Samma said the real culprit in the recent rash of accidents among teens, and accidents among teens in general, is a lack of preparation among young drivers.

He said six hours of actual driving under the direction of a certified instructor is not enough time.

`` Six hours of driving is just a figure out of thin air -- it doesn't make a student a good driver,'' he said. `` They require more time on the road, period.''

`` Maturity doesn't come with age, maturity comes with skills,'' he said.

Many teens say the proposed law would disregard the fact that everyone matures at a different pace.

`` We mature individually, so to put a blanket over everyone is really unfair,'' Sivyllis said.

Smith said she can see the logic in the push to raise the driving age, but she just doesn't agree.

`` I see why they're doing what they're doing. They're trying to protect everyone, they want everyone to be safe,'' Smith said. `` But I don't think raising the age requirement is going to do any good. If you know more, if you're more experienced, you're less likely to get into an accident.''

rdrtrdrsrdrw15rsp160 LAUREN CARTER can be reached at 508-236-0339 or at lcarter(at)(at)thesunchronicle.com.