AAA Texas Promotes New Texas Teen Driver License Law

    WASHINGTON--June 20, 2001--Today the state of Texas drew praise from national safety advocates and AAA for passage of a new life-saving teen-driving bill. Texas became one the most recent states to enact Graduated Driver Licensing when Governor Perry signed the bill into law last Friday. "Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among Texas teens," said AAA Texas Public and Government Affairs Manager Anne O'Ryan. The Graduated Driver Licensing law will help reduce teen crashes and save lives, protecting our most precious and irreplaceable asset -- our youth."
    Between 1996 and 1999 the Texas teen crash rate rose 27 percent. States that have adopted similar laws have seen a 19 to 35 percent reduction in teen crashes. "On the average, 165 Texas teens are injured and killed each day in motor vehicle crashes," said O'Ryan. "And, 95 percent of these teen crashes are attributed to poor judgment and immaturity." The Texas Graduated Driver License program is designed to ease teens into the driving experience by reducing exposure to the highest risk driving situations. "This gives teens more time to learn this complex skill," said O'Ryan.
    Federal studies show that new teen drivers have the highest risk of a motor vehicle crash at night and also while driving with teen passengers. Forty percent of teen driver crashes occur at night, while two-thirds of all teen passengers injured or killed in a crash were in a vehicle driven by another teen. The new Texas Graduated Driver License law will address these problems by restricting nighttime driving between 12 midnight and 5 a.m., and limiting the number of teens in the vehicle for the first six months of the driver license. "We applaud Governor Perry, Senators Bivins and West and Representative Driver for passing this bill," said O'Ryan.
    In 1997, AAA Texas and other AAA Clubs around the country began a national initiative to enact Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in every state. Since then the clubs have helped pass laws in 40 states and the District of Columbia. To date, 46 states have passed Graduated Driver Licensing laws.
    AAA Texas spearheaded a grassroots coalition called Graduated Driver Licensing Coalition to pass this new teen driver bill. Coalition members include Children's Hospital Association of Texas, Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Emergency Physicians, MADD, National Transportation Safety Board, Texas PTA, Texas Family Physicians and USAA.

SB 577
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Instruction permit:
(For teens under the age of 18)

	   --  Extends instruction permit to a minimum of 6 months.(a)

	   --  Must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older who holds a
        valid driver's license.

Intermediate/Provisional License:
For the first six months of the license:

	   --  Nighttime driving. No driving between 12 midnight, to 5 a.m.
        (Exceptions: school related activities, medical emergency or
        work.)

	   --  Passengers. Only 1 passenger under age 21, unless the
        passenger is a family member.

	   --  Applies to moped or motorcycle drivers holding a restricted
        license under age 17.

Full License:

	   --  Age 16 upon completion of Driver's Education Course (otherwise
        age 18).

	   --  Enrolled in high school or passed equivalency test.

	   --  Passed Texas State Driver License test.

Secondary Enforcement: 

	   Police may not stop a teen driver for the sole purpose of
determining whether the driver has violated the provisions of the
intermediate license.

Effective date: Jan. 1, 2002

	   (a) Bill does not impact the hardship license available at age 15.

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Current Law
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Instruction permit:

	   --  Teen can get a license at age 16.(b)

	   --  Must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older who holds a
        valid driver's license.

Intermediate/Provisional License:

	   N/A

Full License:

	   --  Age 16 upon completion of Driver's Education Course (otherwise
        age 18).

	   --  Enrolled in high school or passed equivalency test.

	   --  Passed Texas State Driver's License test.

Secondary Enforcement: 

	   N/A

	   (b) Bill does not impact the hardship license available at age 15.

    AAA Texas is an affiliate of AAA (formerly the American Automobile Association), a not-for-profit federation of clubs with more than 40 million members in the U.S. and Canada. AAA Texas serves its nearly 900,000 members through 21 statewide offices. The Club provides roadside assistance, a full service travel agency, auto related services, legislative advocacy and financial products.