Parents of teens - What are your state's rules for new drivers, and your own rules?

[KristaTX]

I was just talking to my 15-year old niece about why her parents might be concerned about her riding in cars with brand new drivers. She is a smart girl and tries to see her parents' perspective (even though that's not easy for any teenager). And I told her they've been teenagers themselves, and most likely they try to see her perspective as well.

I don't have kids, so I don't know what the current laws are. I told my niece that I thought it varied in different states, but that I'm not really sure.

In some states are there rules for when a brand new driver can drive without an adult in the vehicle, or can have minor passengers only with them?

If you have teenagers, what are the rules for your teenagers when it comes to riding with friends?

 

[DVCLiz]

I live in NC, and we have a restricted system. At 16, teens can get a restricted license. No driving after 9pm, and no more than one passenger under 18 (I think siblings can be driven, though.) After 6 months, the "nine o'clock" restriction comes off. Now I don't remember when the "more than one passenger under 18" applied, it might have been at six months, too.

I had my own rules, based entirely on who was driving, where they were going, etc. In other words, driving with her best friend to Youth Group on Sunday afternoon was a yes right away, while driving with a group of friends downtown late at night came a year or two later. It entirely depended on my comfort level, and we had a long talk in the beginning. I said, "Not only are there laws to follow, but there are the laws of Mom, too. That means my comfort level is going to be the judge about everything until I feel you can be let loose completely. And there's no use whining about it - my comfort level depends on the maturity I see from you and from other teens." She was a great sport about it - as well she should be, since she had a (used) car of her own at 16 and pretty liberal driving rules. She's been a licensed driver for 20 months now, and only 1 speeding ticket (overslept and late for an AP exam!!)

I think it's a real give and take situation. You want to end up with a driver who's confident, and that means a driver who has had plenty of practice. For us, that meant a certain amount of freedom from the start, to do things like run to the grocery store for me, etc.

Also, it depends entirely on what kind of kid you've got. If I had a teen who was looking to prove some coolness factor behind the wheel, she'd have been grounded right away. You just have to know your kid, know the other kids, assess as you go along, and - well, pray a lot!!!!

 

[janette]

Texas does have a graduated system, they are restricted from having more than one passenger under 21 that isn't related for 6mths after they get their provisional license. They have to have a learning permit for 6mths before that so really are restricted from driving friends for about a year.

My 14yo will be taking drivers ed next year. I'm &

A rule we have and that I'll especially stress once my girls start riding with friends is that everyone in the car must use a seat-belt. Just too many kids have died in accidents and often they could have been saved with a seat-belt.

 

[SleepyMom]

Teens can get a license here at 14.

Our rules were not until 16, and only after taking a class. Once they were driving no passengers for 1 year and not allowed to ride with other drivers until they had their license for a minimum of 1 year. Seat belts are not an option, wear them or don't be in the car. Another biggie was not talking on the cell phone, if she got a call she had to pull over.

 

[Amy]

My DS turned 16 this past February, so here are the rules in PA:

You get your learner's permit when you turn 16. You must wait 6 months before you can take your driving test, and parents/driver's ed teacher must certify that you have a minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving. With a learner's permit, you must have a licensed driver over 21 in the car with you at all times.

Once you pass your driver's test, you get a junior license, which restricts driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. "Number of passengers must not exceed number of seat belts in vehicle." Well, duh!! We have a seat belt law here, so everybody HAS to wear a seat belt. One of MY rules will be no more than ONE friend in the car. Also, NO CELL PHONE!!

After 18, you can get an unrestricted license.

Boy, teaching DS to drive is very nerve-wracking, but even more worrysome is when they tell me that one of their newly-licensed friends is driving them home!

 

[Linda/MA]

In Massachusetts, teens can get their license at 16 1/2. For the first six months, they can only drive with a licensed adult driver over 21 or with a sibling, no matter how old they are. Also, they cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 am without an adult in the car. It's a hard rule to follow. We have a daughter who is turning 17 next week. For the most part, she has been following the rules, but not always. I told her what the consequences are if she gets caught (her license will be taken away by the registry for a period of time). I'll be glad when her six months are up!

 

[Snoozan]

The state just changed(tightened)some of the driving laws here in Mass. recently. When my kids were younger(they're 21 & almost 24 now), it was permit at 16, license at 16 1/2 as long as you took driver ed(which has 12 hours driving instruction & test)and until you were 18, were restricted from driving between 12 midnight & 5AM. You could also drive only siblings for this time frame.

House rules were SEAT BELTS ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS(which they always did and still do)as well as the midnight curfew. They were not supposed to drive anyone else, but that lasted about 10 minutes. They did get the car taken away for a period of time if they were caught w/anyone else - but that was hard to do. Beginner drivers always made me a nervous wreck and I'm dealing with it again as the oldest DS, who still lives at home, now has a motorcycle.

 

[Pooh Crew]

We're also in TX, and dsd had her timing figured to the day: She took drivier's ed, got her permit, and had her full license on her 16th b'day. She had the "no friends" restriction for 6 months, in addition to the curfew of midnight (which I believe is in effect for anyone under 18--not just drivers). We made her read and agree to a driving contract that included the obvious (no drinking, drugs, or smoking) and the obscure (car must be kept clean). We also had and continue to have a no cell phone rule, but that is actually a law here (no cell phone, pagers, or texting devices either for those under 18 or within the first 6 months of having the license, I don't remember which). Her grades must be maintained, we paid for X amount of gas per week, she must tell us immediately if she is in any type of accident, etc.

You can find a teen driving contract with more examples by searching the web. One of the main sites also has teen driving stats--something like 98% of all teen drivers have an accident within their first year of driving--so show her those, too. It's so scary to have a teen driving!

 

[MareQ]

Here's what it is in NJ right off of DMV's web site

For drivers ages 16 and up, MVC offers a three-phase process:
Student learner's permit (minimum six months of supervised driving)
Provisional license (minimum one year of restricted but unsupervised driving)
Basic driver license (must be 18 years old)

Get a student learner's permit
Visit an MVC Agency or contact a licensed driving instructor
Pass the knowledge test. You can study by reading MVC's Driver Manual
Pass the vision test
Pass the 6 Point ID Verification
Show proof of enrollment in a driver training course
Present a signed letter with parental or guardian consent
Pay fee
Permits are valid for two years and must be carried when operating a vehicle
If your permit is lost or stolen, you must request a duplicate. Duplicate must be obtained by the driving school, if the applicant did not complete behind the wheel training

Practice supervised driving for at least six months
Please observe the following restrictions during the supervised driving period:
No driving between 11:01 p.m. and 5 a.m.
An adult supervising driver must accompany you at all times
Driver cannot use any wireless device while operating the vehicle
Always wear safety belts

Get a provisional license
You must be at least 17 years of age
Complete the supervised driving period
Pass MVC's road test

Practice unsupervised driving for at least one year
You must observe the following requirements and restrictions while driving with a provisional license:
No driving between 12:01 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Driver cannot use any wireless device while operating the vehicle
Always wear safety belts

Get a basic driver license
You must be at least 18 years old
Complete the unsupervised driving period
Go to any MVC Agency with your provisional license and other documents to pass the 6 Point ID Verification
Pay $24 license fee

 

[scoutsmom99]

Here are the rules for MN. They have changed since I got my license in '97, which was basically take the classes and behind the wheel education and so long as you pass here is your license. I drove around with friends right away, which was nie because I was one of the last people to turn 16 and get a license. I have one friend not get one till she was 17, but her parents were really wierd about the whole driving thing. My parents were thankful that they did not have to shuttle me around to sports and other activities once I got my license.

In We have a grduated driver's license law (GDL) which started in 1999. There are 3 phases to it(from the DMV site).

Phase 1 Instruction Permit
Qualifications
* Must be at least 15 years of age.
* Must have completed 30 hours of classroom instruction and be enrolled in behind-the-wheel instruction.
* Must pass vision and written tests, complete application, and pay the required fee.
* Parent or legal guardian signature and certification required.

Conditions
Permit holder may drive under the supervision of a certified driving instructor, parent or guardian, or other licensed driver age 21 or older.

Every occupant under the age of 18 must have a seat belt or child passenger restraint system properly fastened.

Phase 2 Provisional License
Qualifications
* Must be at least 16 years of age.
* Must have completed driver education.
* Must have held an instruction permit for six months with no convictions for moving violations or convictions for alcohol/controlled substance violations.
NOTE: If all or part of your six months of driving experience was in a state other than Minnesota, please present a certified driving record from that state.
* Must pass the road test, complete application, and pay required fee.
* The person who approves the application also certifies that the applicant had driven under the supervision of a licensed driver at least 21 years of age for not less than 30 hours, at least ten of which were at night.

Conditions
Every occupant under the age of 18 must have a seat belt or child passenger restraint system properly fastened.

Phase 3 Full License
Qualifications
* Must:
1. be at least 18 years of age or
2. must have held a provisional license for at least 12 consecutive months with no convictions for alcohol/controlled substance violations or crash-related moving violations, and with not more than one conviction for a moving violation that is not crash-related.
* Must complete application and pay required fee.
* If under 18, the person who approves the application also certifies that the applicant has driven under the supervision of a licensed driver at least 21 years of age for not less than ten hours on the provisional license.
* Expires on 21st birthday

Conditions
Every occupant under the age of 18 must have a seat belt or child passenger restraint system properly fastened.

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

This is my life with my kids right now.

In Colorado the rules have changed just in the past two years.

-Permit at 15 - then can only drive with the people who signedf your permit which is usually just Mom and Dad-No cell phone use or IPod use while driving

-At 16 can get license as long as you have 50 hours of driving, 10 of which must be at night

For the first 6 months can only take siblings

For next 6 months can only take one Friend

After that can take anyone.

I'm ok with it although I'm not so keen on the idea tha right after my DD gets her license if she wants to go to a movie at the mall, she has to drive alone, park alone, and then walk to the movie alone. So on one hand we tell kids to walk in pairs but then we tell them to drive alone-how often are there two parking spaces right next to each other.

On the other hand, I of course do not want anything to happen to my DD while she is driving or in a car with a crazy driver so I see the reasoning behind the law.

Now my 15 DS is a completely different subject-I like these rules

 

[MorganLeFey]

You must be age 16 or over to drive in NYS. If you have a learner permit or a driver license from another state, you are not exempt from this rule. Drivers under the age of 18 must obey the restrictions described in the DMV brochure, Learner Permits and Junior Licenses. An out-of-state driver under the age of 18 must also obey all restrictions of the state that issued the driver license.

Graduated Licensing Law: A new graduated licensing law begins in NYS on September 1, 2003. The law affects how drivers under the age of 18 ("junior drivers") receive senior driving privileges and changes the restrictions on junior drivers. Junior drivers are drivers who have a driver license or a learner permit of Class DJ or Class MJ.

On September 1, 2003, these new rules began for all junior drivers:

A junior driver cannot operate a vehicle that has more than two passengers who are under the age of 21 unless a parent, a guardian, or a driving instructor also rides in the vehicle. There is an exception to this rule if the passengers are immediate family members.
When the law requires supervision of the junior driver, only the supervising driver can ride in the front seat. The supervising driver must be 21 years of age or older and must have a valid driver license.
All passengers that ride with a junior driver must use the correct safety restraints (seat belts, child safety seats, or child restraint systems).
These new rules apply to junior drivers who have learner permits that were issued on or after September 1, 2003:

A driver with a Class DJ or Class MJ learner permit must bring to the road test a completed form MV-262 (Certification of 20 Hours of Supervised Driving). The form certifies that the junior driver had a minimum of 20 hours of supervised driving experience. The supervising driver must be a driver qualified by the law to supervise a junior driver. A parent or a legal guardian of the junior driver must sign form MV-262.
The DMV will issue a limited-use junior license to a junior driver who passes a road test during the first six months after the learner permit was issued. A limited-use junior license allows the junior driver to drive without supervision during specific hours of the day and within specific geographical boundaries. A supervising driver must supervise the junior driver at all other times. Six months after the learner permit of that driver was issued, the DMV will issue a normal junior license to replace the limited-use junior license.
When a junior driver passes a road test more than six months after the learner permit was issued, the DMV issues a normal junior license.
An additional change in the law began on September 1, 2003 and affects all drivers with a learner permit. The change in the law requires that a supervising driver must be 21 years of age or older.

my older daughter will be 16 on Election Day and will take driver's ed in the spring.

I haven't given her any rules yet, but I'm sure mine will be more restrictive than the state requires.

 

[PenskeSth1]

Here in Florida

If you have never held a regular driver license in any state, country, or jurisdiction, you must complete a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education course before applying for a temporary driving permit (restricted driver license) in the state of Florida. The driver education courses offered by some county school boards may substitute for this requirement. Please contact your local school board for further information.

Learner’s License - To earn a learner’s license, you must be at least 15 years old

You must provide :

One primary and one secondary form of identification, which must be original or certified,
Social Security Number, if issued,
Proof that you completed a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education course (check your local yellow pages under ‘Driving Instruction’ for a location near you) or a license from any state, country, or jurisdiction, and
Parental Consent Form, which must be signed in the presence of a driver license examiner or notarized if parent or guardian will not be present (form is located at http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/html/forms.html). If you are under 18 and are not married one parent or legal guardian must sign your license application. Step-parents may not sign unless they have legally adopted you.
You are required to take:

A Written Test covering the following areas:
Road Rules – 20 multiple choice questions about traffic laws – must have 15 correct answers to pass.

Road Signs - 20 multiple choice questions about road signs – must have 15 correct answers to pass.

Florida Driver Handbook

Vision Test using an eye machine. To pass, you must have 20/40 (or better) vision in each and both eyes, with or without corrective lenses.
Hearing Test
With your Learner’s License, you may:

Only drive during daylight hours during the first three months and until 10 p.m. thereafter, always with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and occupies the front passenger seat.

Operator’s License (16 and 17 year old) - To earn an operator’s license, you must be at least 16 years old AND have held a learner’s license for at least one year without any traffic convictions.

You must provide:

A Florida Learner’s License or a license from another jurisdiction.
Parent or guardian certification that you have at least 50 hours of behind the wheel driving experience, of which 10 hours must be at night.
You are required to take:

Driving test and perform certain driving maneuvers. Please refer to the Florida Driver Handbook for specifics or present a waiver from an accepted driver education course.
With your Operator’s License, you may:

16 years old – only drive between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and occupies the front passenger seat, or you are traveling to or from work.
17 years old – only drive between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m., unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and occupies the front passenger seat, or you are traveling to or from work.

DD is 17 and has had her permit for 11 months. DD knows as long as she lives under our roof and we pay her insurance, she will have strict rules to follow as far as her driving is concerned.

 

[flipturngirl]

I just got my liscens two months ago. I had to have my permit for 6 months and have 100 hours of certified driving if I did not take drivers ed. I did not take drivers ed because I do not get an insurance rebate like other people do. I have not been able to drive since the beginnig of June since someone hit my dad while HE was driving so we have a stupid rental. The rules for my house are : no cell phones....no ipods.... no friends till november 2nd 2006. I drive my sister places. The driving test is supposivley one of the hardest in the nation.. but I am not sure.

 

[KristaTX]

Thanks, everyone. I pointed my sister to this thread, and she's definitely getting some ideas from y'all about contracts, etc. I think my niece is also seeing that driving laws are even stricter in some places age-wise than in Oklahoma (where she lives).

flipturngirl - Congratulations on getting your license .

And wow, sleepymom! 14?? I guess with all the farming and wide open spaces that is a must? That would almost make my husband wish he grew up in South Dakota! He wrote to the governor of Oklahoma when he was a kid asking for special permission to get his driver's license waaayyy early . To his disappoinment, that permission wasn't granted .