Industry Insider
Have a Teenage Driver? What You Should Know
 

Feeling a bit nervous letting your teen driver on the road? You are not alone. Many parents of teens know the risks a young driver faces when on the road, however as the laws have changed, not all parents are aware of the legal requirements set for teen drivers. Whether they are 15 ½ (the legal age to get a driving permit in California), or about to turn 18, there are several things you need to keep in mind as your teen gets ready to get behind the wheel.

1. Teen drivers wishing to apply for a provisional permit must be between 15 ½ and under 18 years old. To receive a provisional permit the teen driver must pass a vision exam, and a sign and traffic laws test. Applicants between 15 ½ and 17 ½ years old must provide proof for one of the following: 1) Completed driver education and are currently enrolled in a drivers training course, 2) Completed driver education and Completed drivers training, or 3) Currently enrolled in an approved integrated driver education and driver training program. Once a teen driver has received a provisional permit, they are allowed to drive only when a parent, guardian, spouse or adult 25 years of age or older holding a valid California driver license is present.
    
2. In order for a teen to be eligible for the CA driving test, they must:
   • Be at least 16 years of age
   • Have had their driver's permit for a minimum of 6 months
   • Completed driver education
   • Completed 6 hours of professional driver training
• Logged 50 hours of driving practice with an adult (this must be certified) and 10 of these 50 hours must have been at night
   
3. As the parent of a teen driver, the State of California requires you to accept financial responsibility for your new driver. Insurance-wise, the following minimum coverage is required:
   
   
   • $15,000 for injury or death of 1 person/accident
   • $30,000 for injury or death of 2+ persons/accident
   • $5000 for property damage for each accident
   • The teen must carry proof of financial responsibility and liability insurance in the vehicle at all times
      
4. As of January 1, 2006, persons under age 18 MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian or other adult aged 25 or older when, at any time in the first 12 months, when they are transporting passengers under 20 years of age, or when they are driving between the hours of 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. 

Teen driving statistics are, quite frankly, scary. The number of accidents and automobile related deaths for teens is shocking and can be a cause of stress and anxiety for parents. However, knowing the facts about teen drivers and educating yourself and your teen driver about the causes and prevention of accidents, can be the best pre-emptive measure you can take to help your teen avoid accident or injury.

• 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger in the vehicle.
• During the first 500 miles that a teenager drives, crashes are 10 times more likely than for an adult driver.
• Teen drivers make up about 7 percent of licensed drivers, but they account for 14 percent automobile related fatalities.
• 50% of teen driver deaths occur on weekends.
• The leading cause of death among people aged 15-20 are car accidents.
• 16-year-olds are 3 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers. They also have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
• In 2008, approximately 2 out of every 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes were males.
• 63% of teenage passenger deaths in 2008 occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. Among deaths of passengers of all ages, 19% occurred when a teenager was driving.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, in 2008:
• Cell phone use while driving was highest among 16- to 24-year-olds
• 37% of male drivers ages 15-20 who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time.
• 55% of occupants of passenger vehicles ages 16-20 who were killed in crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
• 31% of drivers aged 15-20 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 had been drinking some amount of alcohol; 25% were alcohol-impaired, meaning they had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher.

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