Driving Age in USA

For people who are approaching driving age, there is often a sense of excitement, adventure, and freedom from finally being able to drive a car or other vehicle legally. In some ways, getting a driver's license is a rite of passage. Unfortunately, car accidents are one of the most common causes of death for younger people. There is a constant debate happening about whether or not 16-year-olds are mature enough to drive. Car insurance rates are also affected by statistics, with younger drivers having some of the most expensive auto insurance policy rates of any age group.

Many states have made it a goal to adopt the graduated license program for teenagers. These programs put restrictions on younger drivers so that they can slowly gain experience on the road. Some states limit the number of passengers allowed in a vehicle if the driver has a specific type of license. Other states impose a curfew on drivers in certain driver's license groups. Recent studies have shown that graduated license programs have reduced car accidents among people ages 16 and 17. The successes have been so great that some states have even considered adopting graduated license policies for people between the ages of 18 and 20 years who are also becoming first-time drivers.

Laws for drivers are established by each state individually. This means that there is variation from one state to the next in terms of how old the person must be before they are able to get a graduated driver's license, as well as how old they need to be before getting a full driver's license. The rules from one state to the next can vary quite drastically overall, so being aware of when people can get a learners permit, a restricted license, and a full license, is essential. Keep in mind that a driver does not need to get a driver's license at the minimum age required; these are just the earliest ages a person can obtain the specific type of license described.

Driving Age By State

Fortunately, while each state can have different laws in terms of learners driving permits, restricted driving licenses, and full driving licenses, you do not need to be aware of the laws in every state. Pay attention to the laws in your state to determine which ages you or your teenager can get a license.

Getting A Learners Permit

The age requirement for getting a learner's permit can be as low as 14 years of age. States that allow drivers to get their permit at age 14 include Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, North Decoder, and South Dakota.

Some states allow people to get their learners permit between age 14 and six months and 15 and six months. These states include Montana, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

All other states require that a person is above the age of 15 and six months to get their learners permit. A person must have a learners permit for a specific amount of time, as required by the state, before graduating to a restricted license. Once they have the restricted license for the period, they will be able to apply for a full driver's license. In most states, a person must be at least 16 years of age to get a full driver's license. Some states require that a person be age 18 in order to get their full license.

Many parents depend on driver's education courses to teach their children to become safe drivers. Once your teenager has a permit, though, you should still pay attention to their driving habits and help teach them how to be safe on the road. By helping your teenager recognize safety issues and potential dangers while driving, they can see greater improvement in their driving. Every state has different laws regarding learning permits for driving, including how long the teenager needs to be behind the wheel of the vehicle and gaining experience before being able to graduate to the next driver's license level.

Insurance Issues

Statistics have shown that teen drivers are among the most likely to get into automobile accidents. This means that rates for automobile insurance are higher on average for this age demographic than others. There are numerous ways that people can save money on car insurance, however.

Many parents decide to add their children to their own automobile insurance policy to help save money overall. While the parent's car insurance rate will go up, it often ends up being a lot less than the amount a teenager would pay for their own auto insurance plan. Since rates tend to be higher for teenagers, it is important to get car insurance discounts to help save money. Additional defensive driving courses can help people save, as can getting good grades. Each car insurance company offers different discounts and also weighs variables differently when determining car insurance prices.

Due to this, it can be highly beneficial to get free quotes from multiple auto insurance providers. Comparing prices for car insurance is one of the best ways to save money overall, so use the tools here to keep more money in your pocket. For some people, it makes sense to change car insurance companies if they are planning to add a teenager to their policy. Regardless of whether you are looking for your own policy as a teenager, are planning to add a teenager to your plan as a parent, or simply researching for the future, this site has the information you need. Remember to check on car insurance rates every year or two, as changes in age, marital status, credit, driving record, and many other variables can lead to a different auto insurance provider having the best rates and policies for you.