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Home , Curfew, Street racing

Info for , Teen Drivers and Their Passengers

With tighter restrictions on teen drivers and the • Distracted : It is against the law for Passenger Restrictions For All Learner’s Permit and 16- and need for them and their passengers to be safe, teens to drive distracted as well as use any For the entire time a driver holds a learner’s permit, below are some important reminders for teens, mobile electronic devices while driving. he or she may not have any passengers except 17-Year-Old Licensed Drivers for either: parents, passengers and their communities: • Purposeful Driving: Parents need to • A licensed driving instructor giving instruction They may NOT: continuously monitor and guide their teenagers’ • Transport more passengers than the number driving activity, and limit their travel to and others accompanying that instructor. Managing The Driving Experience • One person who is providing instruction and is of seatbelts in the vehicle. purposeful driving. Once teens begin to engage • Operate any vehicle that requires a public • Crashes Kill Teens: Motor vehicle crashes in joy-riding, their crash-risk increases at least 20 years old, has held a driver’s license are the #1 cause of death for 15-19 year- for four or more consecutive years and whose passenger transportation permit or a vanpool dramatically, and more so with each additional vehicle. old teenagers. teenage passenger. license has not been suspended during the four years prior to training. Parents or • Use a cell phone (even if it is hands-free) or • Brain Development: Research shows that the • Health Care Professionals: Pediatricians, may accompany the instructor. other mobile electronic devices while driving. portion of the brain that assesses risk and danger physicians and other health care professionals • Transport any passenger on a motorcycle for does not fully develop until the mid 20’s. need to stress both driver and passenger safety Newly Licensed: six months after the issuance of a motorcycle during a teenager’s wellness visits and encourage endorsement. • Passenger Restrictions: Enforce at home the the use of -teen driving contracts that set Curfew Drivers 16- and 17-years old and each of their state laws on passenger restrictions for newly the driving rules and consequences for violations 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. - unless the teen is traveling for passengers are required to wear a . licensed drivers. Crash risk goes up when teens in advance. employment, school, religious activities, medical If either the driver or the passenger fails to wear drive with other teens in the . This risk also necessity, or if the individual is an assigned driver the seat belt, each could be cited for a seat belt increases with the number of passengers, whether • Vehicle Selection Matters: Avoid having your in the Safe Ride Program. violation and fined $75. siblings, family or friends; in the vehicle. teen drive high-performance vehicles or older model vehicles that lack improved safety Passenger Restrictions • Passengers and Drivers Need to Keep a Vehicle technologies. During the first six months the newly licensed 48-Hour License Suspension for Safe: Both can contribute to a crash. Passengers driver may not have any passengers in the vehicle need to exit the vehicle if they think it the driver is except for: Certain Violations operating unsafely and passengers need to do their Requirements for 16- and 17-Year-Old part to encourage safe operation of the vehicle. • A licensed driving instructor. 16- or 17-year-olds who commit certain moving Drivers OR violations will have their drivers’ licenses seized by • Who Is Driving My Teen? Parents need to know • His or her parents or legal guardian, at least a police officer and will be suspended for 48 hours. who is driving their teen and the extent of his or Learner’s Permit: one of whom holds a valid driver’s license. In addition, the police officer is authorized her driving experience. Did that driver gain to remove the vehicle from the scene. driving experience under Connecticut’s Required Tests OR graduated driver licensing law or did the driver 1. Applicants need to pass a 25-question knowledge • One person who is at least 20 years old, has held bypass this requirement and get a license at 18 test to obtain a permit. a driver’s license for four or more consecutive Driver Retraining years old? 2. Applicants need to pass a road skills test to obtain years and whose license has not been suspended a license. during the four years preceding the time of being Certain offenses will trigger participation in the • Restrict Night Driving: Fatal crashes are transported. Parents or legal guardian may driver retraining program. Anyone age 24 or more likely to occur at night. Young drivers are Training Requirements accompany the instructor. younger who commits two or more moving at higher risk for drowsy driving, which causes New permit holders need at least 40 hours of violations or suspension violations must complete behind-the-wheel training before applying for During the second six months (months seven the DMV-certified driver retraining program. thousands of crashes each year. Enforce the through twelve) the only additional passengers state curfew. their driver’s license. After completing the operator retraining program, allowed in the vehicle are members of the driver’s anyone becoming a repeat offender within 36 immediate family. • It’s the Law - Require Your Teen to Buckle New permit holders need to complete an eight-hour months faces a license suspension. Up: Teens have the lowest rate of seatbelt use. safe driving course. Also, parents or legal guardians (Please Note: These passenger and curfew restrictions do not are required to complete a two-hour class with the apply to active members of a volunteer fire company or department, • No Drinking and Driving: Connecticut has permit holder concerning teen driving laws. a volunteer ambulance service or company, or an emergency a Zero-Tolerance Law for teens drinking and medical service organization who are responding to an driving. Even one drink impairs a teen’s driving emergency call or carrying out duties as an active member, or ability and increases the risk of a crash. if the individual is an assigned driver in the Safe Ride Program.) Mandatory Suspensions for 16- and 17-Year-Old Drivers Drinking and Driving You’re NOT Just Along for the Ride Administrative Per Se Penalties Safety Is EVERYONE’S The administrative license suspension for a 16- or 17-year-old who drives under the influence of The following explains the suspension violations for 16- and 17-year-old drivers. DMV will suspend Responsibility alcohol will be at least one year if he or she had an the driver’s license or learner’s permit of a 16- or 17-year-old for any conviction of violating a teen elevated blood alcohol content equal to or over .02. driving restriction, speeding, , street racing or using a cell phone or text messaging If the 16- or 17-year-old refuses to submit to the test, device while driving. the suspension will be 18 months. This law applies to both public roads and private property. Possession Safety Tips and Laws of alcohol by a on private or public property can also bring a license suspension. VIOLATION 1ST OFFENSE 2ND OFFENSE 3RD OFFENSE for Parents, Youthful Offender Status Graduated Driver’s License 30-day license suspension, (For all 2nd and subsequent (GDL) violations under $175 license restoration fee, offenses) §14-36g(a) including: court fines. 6-month license suspension Someone under 18 who commits the following Passenger restrictions; Driving or until age 18, whichever is cannot be considered a youthful offender: curfew; Operating public longer; $175 license restoration Young Teen Drivers • with a motor vehicle. service vehicle or vanpool; fee, court fines. • Evading responsibility following an accident More passengers than seat that results in a death or serious injury. belts; Carrying passengers • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. on a motorcycle less than six and Their Passengers months after obtaining a motorcycle endorsement; Any adjudicated as a youthful offender for the ct.gov/teendriving following offenses shall have their records disclosed to DMV for the purposes of imposing a driver’s USE OF CELL PHONE/ 30-day license suspension, 90-day license suspension, 6-month license suspension, license suspension: TEXT MESSAGING $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, §14-296aa court fines. court fines. court fines • Reckless driving. • Operating while under suspension. • Evading responsibility following an accident SPEEDING 60-day license suspension, 90-day license suspension, 6-month license suspension, involving property damage or physical injury. (more than 20 mph over $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, • Street racing. limit) court fines. court fines. court fines. • Disregarding a police officer’s signal to stop. §14-219

RECKLESS DRIVING This brochure is supported by: 6-month license suspension, 1-year suspension, 1-year suspension, §14-222 (a) $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, court fines or imprisonment court fines or imprisonment court fines or imprisonment of not more than 30 days, of not more than one year, of not more than one year, or both. or both. or both.

STREET RACING 6-month suspension, 1-year suspension, 1-year suspension, §14-224(c) $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, $175 license restoration fee, court fines or imprisonment court fines or imprisonment court fines or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, of not more than 1 year, of not more than 1 year, or both. or both. or both.

FROMA BLOG FOR PARENTS REID’S OF TEEN DRIVERS DAD S T A T E O F C O N N E C T I C U T Revised October 2014