Highlights of Association Activity, FY 2021
GHSA's Annual Report highlights the Association's accomplishments for the 2021 Fiscal Year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021).
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs allow young drivers to safely gain driving experience before obtaining full driving privileges. Most programs include three stages:
During the 1990s, many states began enacting GDL laws. The programs and types of restrictions vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on GDL laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Laws last reviewed by SHSOs in March 2023.
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 18
16 years, 6 months
15
10 days
16 years, 9 months
15 / 6
6
30 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
No more than 1
15
6
50 (10); 0 with driver's ed.
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Second 6 months: no more than one passenger under 20
17 years
18 years
15 15 / 6 without driver's ed.
6
50 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Remainder: no more than 3 passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement)
18 years
15 / 6
9
45 (15)
16 / 3
Midnight - 4 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 21 (secondary enforcement) Thereafter: no more than 3 under 21 under certain conditions (secondary enforcement)
None
None
16
None
None
None
None
16 years, 6 months
15
12
40 (10)
16
No restriction
First 3 months: no passengers Second 3 months: no passengers except family (secondary enforcement
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers (secondary enforcement)
Nighttime driving: 17 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15
18
40 (10)
18 years
15
6
30 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
No more than 1 under 21 (secondary enforcement)
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 1
17 years
15
16 years
14
275* days (or 180 days after passing driver's ed.)
*effective July 1, 2021
50 (10 at night and 10 in inclement weather)*
*effective July 1, 2021
14 + minimum of 6 months
10 p.m. - 6 a.m. (exemption for going directly to or from school event, work or church event and driving agricultural machinery)*
*effective July 1, 2021
No passengers outside of household for first 6 months; 1 passenger outside of household after 6 months.*
*effective July 1, 2021
16 years, 6 months
15
6
40 (10)
15 / 6
EST: 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. EDT: 8 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 2 under 21 unless to/from school
17 years, 6 months
16
6
50 (10)
16 / 6
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 21
17 years with driver's ed. and 12 months free of crash or conviction 18 without driver's ed.
16
6
65 (10) + 5 in inclement weather
16 / 6
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 Thereafter: no more than 3 under 18
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Second 6 months: No more than 3 passengers under 20
17 years
15
6
50; 100 without driver's ed.
16
16 years, 6 months with driver's ed. 17 years without driver's ed.
15 / 6 with driver's ed; 15 without driver's ed
6
50 (10)
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1
50 (10)
16
Age 16: Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17: 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months, no more than 1 unless supervised
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
15 / 6
6
16
15 / 6
None
None
n/a
n/a
n/a
14
12 for drivers under 16; otherwise, 6 months or until age 18 (whichever comes first)
50 for drivers under 16; otherwise none
16; 15 for a parent-requested restricted license (restricted license may only operate a vehicle owned by their parents or legal guardian and may not drive a car with more passengers than the vehicle's manufacturer recommends)
Sunset or 9 p.m. (whichever is later) - 5 a.m.
No restriction (other than vehicle manufacturer recommendations)
16 years
16 years, 6 months
15
6
60 (10) during Learner Stage 2 (6) during Intermediate Stage
16
9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21; if passenger under 21 is family, no other non-family passengers under 21
17 years with driver's ed. 18 years without driver's ed.
16
6
50 (15)
16 / 6
9 p.m. - 5 a.m. except NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised allowed)
No more than 1 under 21
No more than 1 under 21
16 years, 6 months
15
6
50 (10)
15 / 6
Midnight - 5 a.m.
18 years
16
6
None
17
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 (exception limited to drivers' dependents)
16
1 a.m. - 4 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 25
Nighttime driving: 17 years, 1 month Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
None
40 (10)
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
6
50 (10); 100 (10) if driver's ed not offered within 30 miles
16
10 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 18 (secondary enforcement)
6
50 (10); 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 6 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 19 (secondary enforcement)
Nighttime driving: 17 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 6 months
15
16 years
14 / 6
6
50 (10)
15
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 Second 6 months: no more than 3 under 18
18 years
15
6
40 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 19 Thereafter: no more than 3 under 19
18 years
15
12
None
16
Sun-Thurs: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fri-Sat: 11:30 p.m. - 6 a.m.
None
Nighttime driving: 16 years, 6 months Driving with passengers: 17
15
6
50 (15) or 40 (15) if parent completes 90 minute class
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 20 Second 6 months: no more than 3 under 20
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
17 years
14 / 9
6
50 (10)
16
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
16
6
40; 30 with advanced driver training
16 / 6
12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement 12:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. - 5 a.m.)
First 6 months: no passengers under 18
60 (10)
16 / 6
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 5 months: no passengers under 18 (secondary enforcement)
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 11 months
15 / 9
9
16 years
15
6
70 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m.
First 270 days: no passengers
15
6
50 (15)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21 between 6 p.m. - 5 a.m.
17 years
17 years
16
6
60 (10)
16 / 6
Midnight - 6 a.m.
No more than 1 under 20 unless supervised by instructor (secondary enforcement)
16 years, 6 months
14
12
50 (10)
16 (at 15, can drive without supervision to and from work or school)
First 6 months: 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 non-sibling
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18, parents may waive
17 years
14
12
20 (2) during Learner Stage 10 (2) during Intermediate Stage
16
12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m.
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 16 years, 9 months with drivers ed.; 17 years, 3 months without driver's ed.
15 with driver's ed. 16 without driver's ed.
6
50 (10)
16 / 3 with driver's ed. 16 / 9 without driver's ed.
First 180 days: 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. After 180 days: 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (Sun-Thurs); 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (Fri-Sat)
First 180 days: no passengers
16
Sun-Thurs: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m Fri-Sat: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.
First 12 months: no more than 1 under 20
Nighttime driving: 18 years Driving with passengers: 17 years
15
9
50 (10)
Nighttime driving: 16 Driving with passengers: 15 years, 6 months
14 / 6
6
50 (10)
15
10 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 17
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
No more than 1 under 18
17 years
15 / 6
No data
16
No data
No data
18 years
15
12
40 (6); 0 with behind the wheel training
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers Second 6 months: no more than 1 passenger under 21 Thereafter: No more than 3 passengers (secondary enforcement)
16
Age 16: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Age 17: 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
None
18 years
15
12
50 (10)
18 years
16
6
40 (10 in intermediate stage)
16 / 6
September through June: 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (Sun-Thurs); Midnight - 6 a.m. (Fri-Sat) July through August: midnight - 6 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers Thereafter: No more than 2 passengers under 21
6
50 (10)
16 / 6
10 p.m. - 6 a.m.
No more than 1 (law also includes a seat belt provision: if a teen driver w/ permit or their passenger <18 is found unbelted, the permit holder's license suspended for 2 months)
17 years
16
Nighttime Driving: 18 Driving with Passengers: 17 years, 4 months
16
4 with driver's ed 6 without driver's ed
40
16 / 4
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers except parents or instructor Second 6 months: no passengers except parents, instructor or immediate family
17 years
15 with driver's ed 15 / 6 with driver awareness program 16 without driver's ed. or program
12
50 (10)
16
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers Second 6 months: no more than one passenger (secondary enforcement)
17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: no passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement) unless accompanied by parent, guardian or other adult 25 years or older
18 years
14
6
None
16
11 p.m. - 4 a.m.
No more than 1 under 21
Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no more than 1 under 18 (secondary enforcement)
16 years, 6 months
15 / 6
6
30 (10); 20 (6) with defensive driving course; 0 with driver's ed.
16
16 years, 6 months
14
6
40 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
First 6 months: no passengers under 21
50; 0 with driver's ed.
16
Midnight - 6 a.m.
No more than 1
17
15
6
GHSA's Annual Report highlights the Association's accomplishments for the 2021 Fiscal Year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021).
As summer winds down and millions of Americans take to the roads for the Labor Day weekend, GHSA is reminding motorists that State Highway Safety Offices and their federal and law enforcement partners are stepping up efforts to reduce drunk and drug-impaired driving.
As summer winds down and millions of Americans take to the roads for the Labor Day weekend, GHSA is reminding motorists that SHSOs and their federal and law enforcement partners are stepping up efforts to reduce drunk and drug-impaired driving, a preventable behavior that puts road users at risk.
Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, & GHSA are extending their 18-year commitment to improving teen driving skills by awarding grants totaling $135,000 to six State Highway Safety Offices & announcing the return of Ford Driving Skills for Life hands-on driver training clinics.
On Wednesday, the Governors Highway Safety Association and the Ford Motor Company Fund announced they will award $135,000 in grants to six states, including New York, to combat the rise of speeding among teen drivers.
Ford Motor Company Fund and GHSA are extending their 18-year commitment to improving teen driving skills by awarding grants totaling $135,000 to six State Highway Safety Offices and announcing the return of Ford Driving Skills for Life hands-on driver training clinics.
The weather is getting warmer. With spring at our doorstep, that means more people will be hitting the roads -- and that includes new teen drivers. But there’s a statistic that’s weighing on many minds.
Story by Ashley Smith
March 18, 2021