Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)

May 22, 2010

By Staff writer State Farm™ Employee

The transition period between supervised and solo driving is one of the most frightening for parents, and indeed is the most dangerous for teen drivers. Nearly all states have some components of graduated driver licensing (GDL) in place to help protect teens from serious accidents during the first several months of driving.

Now That Your Teen Is Licensed

When your teen is ready for independent driving, make sure you set and review house rules before trips in order to avoid risky conditions, especially during the first six months. Place limits on situations that increase risks, such as:

  • Carrying multiple passengers (for at least the first six months of licensure, no passengers under 25 should be allowed without an adult present)
  • Driving in poor weather
  • Driving on certain roads
  • Driving at night (driving alone after 10 p.m. should not be allowed until after the first six months of independent driving)

These laws work by limiting a teen’s exposure to high-risk situations and by requiring that teens have more hours of supervised practice before they drive independently. Early evidence is strong that a model GDL law can go a long way toward protecting teen drivers if parents actively enforce the restrictions. Learn more.

To learn more about the GDL laws in your state, please visit these resources:

For more information about teen driver safety and tools for new drivers, visit http://teendriving.statefarm.com
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Tags CHOP, driver, GLL, highway, IIHS, laws, learn, state, supervised, teen

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