Graduated licensing eases beginning drivers into the traffic environment under controlled exposure to progressively more difficult driving experiences. This helps improve their driving skills and helps them acquire on-the-road experience under less risky conditions by progressing, or graduating, through driver licensing stages before unrestricted licensure. The system consists of three licensing stages, named by the type of license possessed at each stage: Learner’s Permit, Intermediate or Provisional License, Full or Unrestricted License.
There are several states that have a three-tiered licensing system with some components of a graduated licensing system. But, within the majority of states, the learner’s permit period, if required, has minimal requirements and restrictions and a full unrestricted license can be acquired at a young age with minimal behind-the-wheel experience.
Why is GDL needed?
Young people, ages 15 - 20, are over-represented in motor vehicle crashes. The problems contributing to young drivers’ high crash rates include:
- Inexperience
- High risk-taking behavior
- High risk exposure
Graduated licensing addresses these contributing causes by:
- Increasing the amount of supervised behind-the-wheel driving practice.
- Increasing exposure to more difficult driving experience by gradually removing restrictions.
- Requiring crash and violation free driving performance for a minimum period of time before advancing to the next level of licensing.
Straight Questions and Answers
For more about GDL, see Q&A: Teenagers - Graduated Driver Licensing - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Police Say When It Comes to Parents and New Teen Drivers, "Lead By Example"
In July 2003, a North American teen safe driving initiative called the "I Promise Program" released the results of its most recent survey on teen driving behavior. More than hundred police across the U.S. and Canada responded to one question: If there was just one important message that you would like to deliver to parents of new teen drivers, what would it be? Overwhelmingly, the police response was to lead by example. "Parents have a direct responsibility to promote teen safe driving by demonstrating safe driving themselves." To view the responses to the survey and find out more information about the "I Promise Program," visit their Web site.