The Year: A Walk Through the World of Provisional Driving

Oh boy, it's really starting to feel like summer out there.  With exception to a buzzkilling rainstorm earlier in the week, it's definitely the weather to hit the road.  I got my license in the Summer last year, and let me tell you, it did the impossible.  It made summer even better.  The whole essence of being a teen in Lafayette had changed.  I was allowed on the road.  However, like many parents and their newly driving children, this was a source of confusion for my parents.  There are a whole ton of restrictions for new drivers each coming with their own set of questions.  Then there is an equally exhausting question of enforcement of those restrictions.

Well, the first question is a pretty simple one.  Who can a newly licensed driver drive?  When I was driving, the answer seemed to be nobody, because you can't drive anybody who isn't your parent or a licensed driver over the age of 25 for the first year.  The real answer (look away parents), is no one cool.  This may seem ludicrous at first, but it's for our own good.  Get used to the car as a serious place, because that's what it is.

"I have a license to drive, I can drive whenever I want, right?"  Sadly, no.  You cannot drive between the hours of 11pm to 5am.  This is the biggest pain for a provisional driver, if you ask me, but it's probably the most important one to follow.  Sure, it'd be nice to stay out for just a little bit longer, but police are a little bit more vigilant about kids driving at night, and rightfully so.

What are the penalties for driving someone you're not supposed to?  Well, the answer for that varies.  I know people who have been caught, but breaking the driving restriction is always the secondary offense.  The DMV states that violation of these restrictions can result in "a fine and/or community service."  I have one friend who was caught speeding with other people in her car, and her license was suspended.  The simple answer is, don't think that they don't take it seriously, because they do.  It's a lot easier to explain to your friends that you can't drive them than it is to explain that fat ticket you just got to your parents.

When you're 16 and just got your brand spanking new license, these provisions seem like a huge deal, because it seems like they are.  A lot of teens complain that these provisions are unfair, and they don't really change much, because a lot of people won't follow them.  I certainly was one of the many provisional drivers who always saying how I should be able to drive my friends.  Now that I'm older and don't have those provisions, however, I see the merit and I don't think I'm alone.  Don't worry, young drivers, it's a short 12 months and after it's over, you will probably realize it was not a problem.