Politics & Government
New Teen Driver Law Takes Effect Dec. 27
Teens with driving permits must have 65 hours experience, instead of 50, before getting their junior licenses. The new law also restricts their passengers.
A law that takes effect Dec. 27 requires teen drivers with a learner's permit to have 65 hours of behind-the-wheel experience, rather than the current 50, before they can go for their junior driver's license.
Of the additional 15 hours driving with a supervising licensed driver, 10 hours must be at night and five hours must be in bad weather, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Current permit holders who haven't passed the driver's license test by tomorrow must meet the new requirements.
For the first six months after getting their driver's license, junior drivers under 18 will only be allowed to transport one passenger who is under 18 and not of their immediate family, the law says. After six months, they can take up to three passengers under 18 who aren't family members, providing they haven't had any driving violations and weren't responsible for a reportable accident.
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Junior drivers and passengers under 18 must wear a seatbelt and a driver can be stopped and cited solely for violating that provision of the law, PennDOT said.
Patch launched a Oct. 1 asking readers what they thought of the impending changes. The of the unscientific poll were: 56 percent (102 responses) said it was a good idea and 11 percent (21 responses) said it was too restrictive.