Minnesota - New Teen Driving Limitations In Effect August 1
By admin • Jul 24th, 2008 • Category: FeaturesDISCLAIMER - Any Charges Reported in these Press Releases are Merely Accusations and the Defendants are Presumed Innocent Unless and Until Proven Guilty.
ST. PAUL —New laws taking effect August 1 will help newly licensed teens hone their driving skills during the first year of licensure by reducing exposure to two high-risk situations: driving late at night and carrying multiple teen passengers.
According to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Minnesota teen drivers are overrepresented in traffic crashes each year due to driver inexperience, distractions, nighttime driving, speeding and seat belt non-use. In the last three years (2005-2007), 16- and 17 year-old drivers were involved in 116 fatal crashes, resulting in 133 deaths.
“These laws will help teens become safer drivers and, as a result, prevent deaths and injuries on Minnesota roads,” says Michael Campion, commissioner of DPS.
A nighttime driving limitation during the first six months of licensure prohibits teens from driving midnight –5 a.m., unless the teen is accompanied by a licensed driver age 25 or older. Other exceptions include driving between home and place of employment, for employment purposes, and to/from home and a school event for which the school has not provided transportation. Mile for mile, 16 and 17 year-olds are about three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash at night than during the day.
A passenger limitation for the first six months of licensure allows only one passenger under the age of 20, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. During the second six months of licensure, no more than three passengers under the age of 20 are permitted, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Passengers under age 20 who are members of the immediate family are permitted for both periods.
In the last three years in Minnesota, 2005–2007, 41 percent of the teen passengers killed in traffic crashes were in vehicles driven by 16 or 17 year olds.
These laws also apply to teens licensed before August 1. For example, a teen licensed on July 1 would have the nighttime limitation for five months beginning August 1, the one passenger limitation for five months, and the three passenger limitation for six months.
Violating these laws is a misdemeanor.
DPS recommends parents reinforce these laws and continue to monitor and train teens, even after licensure, as new drivers need supervised exposure in a variety of driving conditions and environments. DPS also urges parents to be a positive role model behind the wheel. For more on the new teen laws, visit http://www.dps.state.mn.us/ots/teens/default.asp.
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What about students that plan to carpool to and from school? Are they just forced to waste money and gas? How exactly are they planning to enforce this law? or is this just another excuse to pull over teenage drivers? I am a teenager therefore i think im invincable and am irresponable?
I agree Torie I find this law written without any thought. Example now instead of 1 teen carpooling 3 others to school, events or work now we just increased these teen drivers from 1 to 4. That means 4 times the students driving to school which the schools don’t have the room for 4 times the cars. This will then spill over onto the school bussing which they are not equipped to handle 4 times the students riding not to mention 4 times the fuel being consumed. So the breath of this law is the State just made our roads up to 4 times more dangerous the very thing they thought they were protecting us from.
Also isn’t another reason for this law that we are newer drivers we don’t have as much experience and since we haven’t had the experience we wont be able to handle “distractions”. But the law states that its only drivers up to 18 so a 19 year old new driver who has logged the same amount of time practicing will be better? Also you are forcing the person in the passenger seat to talk to the driver instead of the other passengers which could potentially cause more distractions?