NEW CAR PRICES AND RESEARCH

The intent is one of mourning---and warning: Do not race these streets any longer.

Still, I can hear them at times, usually very late into the evening when the night air is still. Engines rev, tires squeal, and the sounds of kids driving fast cars ricochets off the neighboring houses.

Usually, the cars they race are imports, with darkly tinted windows and lowered suspensions. The engines are built for blistering off-the-line speed. When I hear the races, it makes me shake my head, thanking the divine master that it's not my street on which they race. But then I remember when I used to race in the streets, and I ask myself---is there really any difference?

The answer --- yes --- is resounding. As long ago as it was, none of the cars we would race would have matched up to the kid cars of today, and I doubt very much that we went as fast, or came as close to the point of no return.

At least I believe this to be the case, because none of my friends ended up in a box. That's more than the kids who race in my area can say.

Building fast cars and racing them is an American rite of passage, as much a part of the fabric of our culture as little league and prom night. To clamp down on teenage racers is to take away part of their freedom. America, for better or worse, is about horse power and performance. It's about tasting freedom at the wheel of a used car with the wind and the radio blowing noise.

Can we no longer afford such a dream? Today, there are too many cars on the road, and teenagers are, for the most part, more willing to go much faster. Consider it a type of maturity, or sophistication --- whether piercings, body art or racing, today's youth are willing to take bigger risks for greater pay-offs, even if they're not entirely sure what the risk entails.

Recent statistics create a grim picture: According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 16 year-old drivers have a higher rate of crashes in which excessive speed is a factor. More of their fatal crashes involve only the teen's vehicle, which indicates high-speed crashes in which the driver lost control. Per mile, the nighttime fatal crash rate for 16 year-olds is about twice as high as during the day.

Parents, of course, can make the biggest difference. While state governments squabble over graduated licensing programs, parents can enact their own: gradually increase your teen's access to a vehicle over time, as he or she gains experience. As part of that program, keep your kids off the road during evening hours. The combination of night and teens is a deadly one --- try to keep your teenager off the road past 9 p.m.. Parents should also restrict the number of friends their teen is allowed to ferry around town.

Rules like that are sure to cause a few tears and angry words. And if you can't stand the heat, parents should at least be a role model. Refrain from speeding, bouts of road rage and inattentive driving. Show that driving is not a right, but a hard-earned privilege. Make them earn their first set of wheels, either by saving the down payment or setting up a payment plan where they pay you back before receiving the pink slip.

It would be great if it were that simple, but other factors come into play. In their increasing efforts to attract the youth market, Auto makers are building faster and sexier cars for under or around $20,000. Today's kids are rolling off dealer lots with spirited vehicles such as the Honda Civic Si, Ford Focus ZX3, Subaru Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer, among others. Sometime soon, Toyota will debut Scion, a new brand specifically designed for the Y generation --- and while an actual production model has not been announced, it will surely compete with the aforementioned cars. Perhaps most dangerous of all are the small SUVs now flooding the market. Small-sized SUVs are generally well made cars that offer plenty of room and stylish looks at a low sticker price. But they may also inadvertently provide the illusion of increased safety.

We've come a long way since 17 year-olds were driving around in Datsun B-210s or banged up muscle cars --- and thank goodness. Putting your teen behind the wheel of a new car --- no matter how fast it goes --- is far, far, better than handing he or she the keys to your old rattle trap. And though today's cars are much safer, auto makers who entice new drivers with the promise of performance and size should also continue to raise the safety profile of these vehicles.

Ultimately, it comes down to the kid and the car. Will they race? Yes, probably. Will they drive distracted? Of course. This is, after all, a culture that celebrates driving as a symbol of freedom, and hooray for that. But let's also make sure that we, and our society, can be free from the symbol of white crosses stuck tragically into roadway lawns.