Myths & Realities of Graduated Drivers Licenses

Graduated drivers licenses have changed teen driving. (autos.aol.com)

Graduated Drivers Licenses (GDLs) exist in 48 of the 50 states. They were introduced in the 1970s, and are intended to lower the dangers associated with teenage drivers.

GDLs place a number of restrictions on these teenage drivers. There are three main types of restrictions and/or expectations this drivers license path features: Cell phone usage bans, nighttime driving blackouts and limits on the number and age of passengers.

Here’s the situation as of right now:

44 states and the District of Columbia each place passenger restrictions on these young drivers, for varying amounts of time, depending upon the state.

And 48 states and D.C. also place nighttime driving restrictions on these beginning drivers, with varying amounts of time placed on the intermediate stage set by state.

Finally, 30 states and the nation’s capital also completely ban cell phone use by teenagers behind the wheel, which makes everything, from voice calls to texting illegal if you’re a newbie.

The specifics of GDL programs vary from state to state, so where you live will have a big impact on experience. New Jersey and Ohio, for example, have night driving restrictions in place until a driver is 18-years-old. New York will allow a new driver that has completed drivers education to drive at night at age 17, while those who don’t take such courses must wait until age 18.

Myths about GDLs

We’ve seen a number of myths being tossed around concerning GDLs. Most of them are incorrect assumptions about GDL programs and how they work. The ones we’ve seen include:

Teens don’t like or support GDL programs

Inaccurate. Surveys reveal that more than two thirds of teens support GDL laws.

Parents don’t like or support GDL programs

Not only do parents support GDLs, but almost every parent does. Surveys demonstrate a support rate of almost 95 percent by parents.

Police are distracted from real crimes while enforcing GDL laws

No, GDL laws do not distract the police from solving real crimes. The majority of responsibility of policing GDL falls upon parents.

GDL programs cost the federal government too much

Since drivers licenses are issued by states, the federal government isn’t involved in the process at all. The federal government isn’t spending any money on GDL.

Realities of GDLs

While GDLs have long been championed as a way of limiting teen deaths and fatal crashes involving teen drivers, the results have been mixed, despite the presence of GDL in almost every single state.

On the one hand, research indicates that while GDLs are lowering the numbers of deadly crashes for 16 and 17 year olds, they’ve also had the unexpected effect of increasing the numbers of deadly crashes for 18 and 19 year olds.

A recent study, conducted by researchers from California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) took an intense look at how their GDL program has faired.

It found that 16 year old drivers had 1,348 fewer deadly crashes. But despite this drop, the study also uncovered that there were 1,086 more fatal crashes where 18 year olds were driving. In other words, while there has been improvement in reducing fatalities, it isn’t near the impact that had been assumed, and in fact, it appears that fatal crashes (as well as all crashes involving teens) have been simply delayed until an older age.

Many teens simply choose to wait until their 18 before getting their drivers license, meaning they avoid the extra restrictions of graduated drivers licenses.

It’s also possible that GDLs have the unintended effect of reducing practical driving experiences for young drivers. The restrictions prevent new drivers from getting the practical and proper experience behind the wheel.

What Should an Effective GDL Program Have?

An analysis of 70 different scientific studies suggests that for a GDL program to be effective, the following features should be included:

• A minimum age of 16 for a learner’s permit.
• A six month holding period for permits.
• 30 to 50 hours of driving practice.
• Nighttime driving restrictions.
• Passenger restrictions.
• Cell phone restrictions
• Unrestricted license at age 18.

Parents Have a Role, Too!

While we’re not going to get into the nature vs. nurture debate here, there can be little doubt that a parent plays a large and influential role for their driving children. And some states are looking at ways to mandate parents take part in the process.

For example, several dozen New Jersey high schools have made it mandatory for parents of teens seeking a drivers license to attend a driver’s education course. And the New Jersey legislature has a bill under consideration that would make this a requirement statewide. New York is currently considering similar legislation to that proposed in New Jersey.

But Connecticut has taken the largest (and boldest) step yet, with its 2008 law requiring parents take a two-hour mandatory driver’s education class if they have a 16 or 17 year old that is seeking a drivers license. The class is intended to educate parents on the subject of the number one cause of death for teens, driving.

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