BOSTON -- There's a new effort on Beacon Hill to come up with legislation that will protect young drivers on the roads.

After dozens of fatal crashes involving teens, state lawmakers are considering some new ideas.

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NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that a few months ago, legislators talked about raising the driving age from 16 1/2 to 17 1/2, but the plan met significant resistance from some parents and teens. So now, lawmakers are talking about toughening the standards for young drivers.

"We're trying to send a loud and clear message to kids. If you speed you're going to lose your license. There are going to be harsh consequences," said Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich, the bill's sponsor. Hill opposed the older driving age.

Many deadly accidents involve teenage drivers who are speeding or who make poor decisions based on a lack of experience behind the wheel, according to authorities. That's why legislators now want to ban new drivers from using cell phones, crack down on speeding and create a single, statewide driver's education course. They would also require teen drivers to complete 30 hours behind the wheel with their parents.

The proposal would also require that junior operators licenses be suspended for six months to one year if they're caught going 10 miles over the speed limit, transporting passengers under age 18 or driving between midnight and 5 a.m.

Registry of Motor Vehicles' statistics show three out of 10 16-year-olds in Massachusetts get in to serious accidents and senior citizens are second only to teens in serious crashes. The bill would also require older drivers to pass vision and road tests if they want to renew their licenses after the age of 85.

The American Association of Retired Persons or AARP opposes that provision, saying it doesn't make sense to pick an arbitrary age to re-test drivers.