License restrictions for new teen drivers result in fewer deadly crashes
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The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wants to remind teens and their parents that after receiving their probationary license, drivers under age 18 have additional restrictions for the first nine months.
“Too often parents either don’t realize that these restrictions exist, or they forget about them,” notes DMV Bureau of Driver Services Director Ann Perry. “This is unfortunate because crash data shows us that when teens follow these restrictions, there are fewer crashes and fewer lives lost.”
In Wisconsin, teens are involved in fatal crashes twice as often as all other drivers. To reduce teen driver deaths and injuries, all states, including Wisconsin, have enacted Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws. These laws phase in driving privileges for teen drivers over a period of months. GDL laws save lives; this is seen in the data. In 2011, there were 60% fewer fatal crashes involving teen drivers than there were in 2000 when graduated licensing was enacted. Under the GDL law:
• Teens who get their learner’s permit must log 30 hours of behind-the-wheel experience.
• Teens must have that learner’s permit for six months and have no traffic tickets in order to receive their probationary license.
• Once teens have a probationary license, they must remain citation free and abide by a number of restrictions including having no more than one passenger who is not an immediate family member and not driving between midnight and 5 a.m., unless driving to and from school or a place of employment.
The restrictions can be extended if the driver receives a traffic citation or violates the restrictions. All restrictions end at age 18.
