Alabama
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Alabama
In 2008, 172 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Alabama. Over the past five years, Alabama crashes involving teen drivers claimed 1130 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Alabama
The current GDL law in Alabama includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 for learner’s permit, age 16 for the intermediate stage, and age 17 for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 30 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage (none required for teens to complete driver education)
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between midnight and 6 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A passenger restriction prohibiting more than three passengers
- Require age 16 for entry into the learner’s permit stage
- Extend restrictions on teen drivers through age 17
- Strengthen the passenger restriction to prohibit more than one non-familial passenger under the age of 21 unless a licensed driver over age 21 is in the vehicle
- Add a prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
