"They have clearly been shown to make a difference," he said.
Beilenson said that 18 is too high an age because it would prevent parents from supervising their children's driving practice.
Maryland's minimum age is three months higher than the majority of U.S. states, which sets 16 as the threshold. South Dakota has the lowest age of eligibility at 14 1/2 , while six states and the District of Columbia set 16 1/2 as the standard. Britain has a minimum age of 17. Most European countries set the bar at 18.
Jonathan Adkins, spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association, said his organization will give serious consideration to what he called "a good study." But he noted that lower driving ages have traditionally been favored in farming areas, where young family members are frequently called on to perform chores involving driving.
"It won't be feasible in some states that have a large rural community," he said. "You would likely see opposition from rural delegates in Maryland."
The insurance institute noted that proposals to raise the driving age have been introduced in several state legislatures in the last year but that none have been adopted.
Anne Fleming, a spokeswoman for the institute, said proposals to raise the driving age have run into heavy opposition.
"It's a hard sell to go against that double push of parents wanting to get out of the chauffeur business and teens wanting their licenses," she said.
That sentiment was apparent yesterday at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, where driving instructor James Greene was teaching a class. Greene, co-owner of the Driving Coach Academy, based in Arbutus, said parents and teens oppose higher driving ages.
"The parents won't continue to take [their children] around to practices," he said, adding that older teens would also be inconvenienced. "They won't have time to get their license. They are going away [to college]. It's just not convenient for them."
Greene, who has been teaching driver's education classes for the past 12 years, said that the real problem is getting parents to take an active role in their child's driving education.
"Some don't have time. Some are afraid. Some kids have single parents," he explained. "Each parent should monitor their child to make sure that child is ready."
Many of the students in Greene's class also opposed raising the driving age. They said driving experience - not age - is the most important factor for driving safety. All agreed that teens would be angered by an increase in the driving age.
