The day young drivers finish their driver’s education and exchange their learner’s permit for their driver’s license is momentous, especially for teen drivers who must study and memorize all driving license laws.
Leaving behind supervised driving and getting an unrestricted license can usher tremendous freedom for someone of any driving age.
However, a driver’s license can also bring a licensed driver into danger if they are not careful.
Teen drivers that just got a valid driver’s license need to understand the road rules to stay safe and compliant, including any passenger restrictions, learner’s permit, driver’s education, supervised driving, and restricted license laws per their driving age and skill.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represents victims and their families after motor vehicle accidents, including those with cars, trucks, motorcycles, and pedestrians.
We deeply understand the laws and regulations drivers must follow, so we can ensure justice is served for those involved in these accidents.
It’s vital for all drivers to understand and adhere to all driving license laws and to stay alert when behind the wheel – especially inexperienced drivers.
Many of these incidents center on a lack of knowledge regarding the driver’s license and related concerns of supervised driving age, how to get a valid driver’s license, passenger restrictions during driver’s education, and more.
Why Do States Have Driver’s License Restrictions and Supervised Driving?
Most new drivers of motor vehicles or anyone trying to get their driver’s license for the first time do not have much experience driving especially unsupervised driving, especially those under age 18.
Inexperience and a lack of supervision increase the chances of significant injury from an automobile accident.
Teenagers get into car crashes with motor vehicles at a rate far higher than drivers of older ages.
To address this reality, most states have utilized a graduated driver’s license program that requires license applicants to complete a driver’s education course and abide by a phased approach.
In these graduated license laws, drivers get a valid license (regular driver’s license) with full driving privileges and an unrestricted driver’s license in the third and final phase:
- Beginner Stage: License applicants here must abide by driver licensing limitations, especially with regards to nighttime driving, highway safety, having more than one passenger at once (passenger restrictions), completing a driver education course and driver training with family members or supervised driving, applying for an instruction permit, and other license laws. This period can last between one and several years. The main goal is to practice driving (driver training course) before getting a full license. There may also be non-resident age requirements.
- Intermediate Stage: In the intermediate stage, you may get a learner’s permit, intermediate provisional driver’s license, intermediate license, or some other advanced permit. Again, this is a restricted intermediate license, and complete unsupervised driving is banned, but some earlier restrictions will expire. Talk to your driver licensing office about what type of instruction permit, supervising driver duties, and continuing driver education course obligations you have here for the intermediate license.
- Full Privileges: In this stage, permit holders and license applicants finally get a full provisional license. A full license allows licensed drivers (once just license applicants) to have more than one passenger and drive the roads without restriction or supervision.
Newly licensed drivers (including teen drivers and their licensed parents, minor passengers, immediate family members, or another family member) or temporary license under these graduated license programs must practice driving and learn about adult and teen driving license laws.
Harm and Damage that New Drivers Cause
This vital information regarding new drivers and the accidents they cause and/or are involved in includes the following:
- Almost half of all first-year drivers are in crashes.
- Almost one-third of all second-year drivers are in crashes.
- 16 -year-olds are likelier to get into accidents than 18 or 19-year-olds.
- Male teenage drivers are far more likely to get into fatal auto collisions than female teenage drivers.
- Early morning, nighttime, and weekend driving is the most dangerous for young drivers.
- Not wearing a seatbelt, drinking, speeding, and being distracted are the most critical risk factors for motor vehicle incidents and new drivers.
Remember these facts and figures if you think the driving age to get a driver’s license should be lowered or supervised driving and other driver’s license obligations are too stringent.
Supervised driving, a restricted license or learner’s permit or provisional license, a driving test, passenger restriction, and other measures are all designed to reduce this damage and make the roads safer as newly minted drivers enter them.
Driver’s License Laws by State
| State | Beginner Stage | Intermediate Stage | Full Privileges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Alaska | 14 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Arkansas | 14 | 16 | 18 |
| California | 15.5 | 16 | 18 |
| Colorado | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Connecticut | 16 | 16 years, 4 months | 18 |
| Delaware | 16 | 16.5 | 17 |
| District of Columbia | 16 | 16.5 | 18 |
| Florida | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Georgia | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Hawaii | 15.5 | 16 | 17 |
| Idaho | 14.5 | 15 | 17 |
| Illinois | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Indiana | 15 | 16 years, 3 months | 21 |
| Iowa | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| Kansas | 14 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Kentucky | 16 | 16.5 | 17 |
| Louisiana | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Maine | 15 | 16 | 16 years, 9 months |
| Maryland | 15 | 16.5 | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 16 | 16.5 | 18 |
| Michigan | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| Minnesota | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Mississippi | 15 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Missouri | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Montana | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Nebraska | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Nevada | 15.5 | 16 | 18 |
| New Hampshire | 15.5 | 16 | 18 |
| New Jersey | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| New Mexico | 15 | 15.5 | 16.5 |
| New York | 16 | 16.5 | 17 |
| North Carolina | 15 | 16 | 16.5 |
| North Dakota | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| Ohio | 15.5 | 16 | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 15.5 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Oregon | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 16.5 | 17 |
| Rhode Island | 16 | 16.5 | 17.5 |
| South Carolina | 15 | 15.5 | 16.5 |
| South Dakota | 14 | 14 years, 6 months | 16 |
| Tennessee | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Texas | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Utah | 15 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Vermont | 15 | 16 | 16.5 |
| Virginia | 15.5 | 16 years, 3 months | 18 |
| Washington | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| West Virginia | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Wisconsin | 15.5 | 16 | 18 |
| Wyoming | 15 | 16 16.5 |
Our legal group can review your own driving license laws with you (or an immediate family member). The review can include requesting the following:
- Restricted license
- Restricted driver’s license
- Supervising driver laws
- Driving test, if graduated licensing law applies
- Defensive driving course
- Nighttime driving restriction
- Traffic safety education
- The right licensed driver age (age 16 possible) for approved driver education and minor school license
- Other topics
Different Types of Driver’s Licenses
Many states, like Illinois, issue licenses with different limitations on operating a motorized vehicle.
Drivers operating passenger vehicles, riding motorcycles, driving a commercial truck, and new motorists must obtain the correct license or permit based on their needs to remain compliant with Illinois law and traffic codes.
The following list outlines the most common forms of licenses in this state and others.
- Class D licenses — Most Illinois drivers have a Class D license that permits the operation of any passenger vehicle, including vans and pickup trucks. Drivers must operate passenger vehicles only for private purposes, such as commuting to work or for pleasure.
- GDL licenses — The DMV issues these temporary licenses primarily to teenagers who participate in the Graduated License Program. Teenage drivers can operate a passenger vehicle only under a licensed driver’s supervision while possessing a permit. They must pass their Driver’s Education classes before becoming eligible to apply for a license.
- Class M licenses are issued for operating motorcycles after licensees pass a state-mandated before class, fill in an application, and pass a test for this type of license.
- CDL — The DMV issue commercial driver licenses to professional commercial vehicle drivers.
The DMV also issues other licenses that serve different purposes. If you apply for a new license, your current one cannot be suspended or revoked. The applicant cannot be declared unfit to drive by the court for any reason.
Accidents and Injuries that a Newly Licensed Driver May Cause
We have spent the previous sections reviewing the risks inherent for new drivers and what states have done to curtail those dangerous situations. But accidents still happen.
It is crucial to understand how they do specifically so that you can avoid them and help others stay away from them.
Here are a couple of common scenarios we see of accidents and new drivers.
- Passenger Distractions: Teens driving on roads and highways often talk to their passengers more than older drivers. This takes their eyes and attention off the roads, where it belongs, and exposes them to emerging danger like a bike or pedestrian that darts onto the street.
- Route Inexperience: Since young drivers have not driven often, they frequently do not know their routes. This inexperience opens them up to risks if there is bad weather or if other drivers are pressuring them, like tailgating or through other aggressive driving maneuvers.
- Weather Conditions: Bad weather exacerbates a young driver’s inexperience and nervousness and can lead to accidents and damage.
- Fatigued Driving: New drivers are not entirely equipped to manage their fatigue or other emotions as they develop. They do not always pull over and get off the roads when they are tired, and this causes incidents.
Licensed drivers (unrestricted and restricted license holders, license applicants, school permit holders, etc.) can talk to us today about highway safety and road management.
Can I Bring a Claim against a Driver without a Driver’s License?
Yes, you can still sue people that cause motor vehicle accidents regardless of whether or not they have a driver’s license.
Your case against them will be the same, and the lack of a driver’s license might even help you prove that they acted irresponsibly during the crash.
Can My Driver’s License Be Suspended or Revoked?
Yes, all states have driver’s license law requirements for the possible suspension or revocation of your license.
Typically, these are placed for circumstances involving misconduct, old age, or incapacitation.
Talk to an experienced auto collision and driver’s license attorney if you are ever in one of these situations.
They can work with you to escape supervised driving and return to the roads.
Talk to Our Auto Accident Lawyers about Your Crash and Driver’s License Today
If you are involved in an auto accident caused by a driver without a license, you might still be entitled to insurance benefits.
Our experienced auto accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can help you obtain compensation and can further investigate your case.
We deeply understand the license laws and regulations drivers must follow, so we can ensure justice is served for those involved in these accidents.
That is why it’s crucial for all drivers to understand and adhere to all driving license laws and to stay alert when behind the wheel – incredibly inexperienced drivers who
Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can discuss what happened and see the relief and financial compensation options.
We do not charge a fee unless we win for you in court or settlement.
