GRADUATED DRIVERS LICENSES:

                                            How Do They Work?

                                                                 by

                                                              Attorney Richard P. Mozinski

                  For additional information: link to Radosevich, Mozinski, Cashman & Olson LLP

 

As a parent of teenage daughters, I share a concern with many parents: How will my children act when they get behind the wheel?  The issues are more complex since passage of Wisconsin's Graduated Driver's License law (GDL).  The GDL Law requires that the parent of a teenage driver ask not only "where are you going with the car", but "who are you going with and will you be back by midnight?"

 

Wisconsin's GDL system applies to teens between the ages of 15½ and 17 and involves three licensing steps.  Each step has requirements which, if not met, can result in the loss of driving privileges.

 

The first step is acquiring the Temporary Instruction Permit, commonly known as 'Temps'.  To obtain his or her Temps, the new driver must be at least 15½  years old, pass vision and knowledge tests, and be enrolled in a 'Behind The Wheel' driver's education course. When driving, he or she must be accompanied by an adult sponsor defined as: a qualified instructor; a parent/guardian; or someone 21 or older with a valid driver's license and at least two years driving experience.    Wearing a seatbelt and no alcohol are conditions. Temps are valid for 12 months.  The teen driver must have their Temps for at least six months, accumulate 30 hours of supervised driving experience, and receive no traffic tickets to be eligible for the second licensing step, the probationary license.

 

If under age 18, the teenage driver must complete the driver's education course, pass a road test, and have an adult sponsor to obtain a probationary license.  A probationary license holder must be at least age 16.  Here as well, seatbelts and no alcohol are mandatory.  For the first nine months, or until the teen turns 18, additional 'graduated' restrictions are imposed:

a)   Only one teen peer can be a passenger in the car between 5 a.m. and midnight;

b)   Any family member can ride with the teen;

c)    A spouse, qualified instructor, or someone over 21 with a valid driver's license and two years licensed driving experience may ride with the teen.

d)   Between midnight and 5 a.m. the teen can drive only to and from home, school, or work unless accompanied by a parent, a person 21 or older with a valid driver's license, a qualified instructor, or a spouse 19 or older with a valid driver's license.  Other than a parent, any other passenger must have two years driving experience.

If the teen has no traffic violations during the first nine months of the 'graduated' period, the graduated restrictions expire.

 

The final step is the regular driver's license.  To obtain a regular license, the probationary driver must be at least 19 and have held a probationary license for between 2 and 3 years, depending upon when the probationary license was obtained.  For drivers under 21, alcohol use is prohibited.

 

Being a parent is never an easy job.  However, the GDL system, if understood by teen drivers and their parents, can assist in teaching the skills and responsibilities needed to become a safe driver.