Indiana
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Indiana
In 2008, 162 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Indiana. Over the past five years, Indiana crashes involving teen drivers claimed 935 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Indiana
The current GDL law in Indiana includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 years and 6 months for learner’s permit, age 16 years and 6 months for the intermediate stage (age 16 years and 9 months for teens who have not had driver education), and age 18 for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage, at least 10 of which must be at night
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. for the first 180 days after licensure, then between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. (1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Saturday and Sunday) for the remainder of the intermediate stage until age 18
- A passenger restriction prohibiting passengers for the first 180 days after licensure
- A prohibition on non-emergency use of hands-free and hand-held cell phones for all drivers younger than age 18
- A prohibition on texting while driving for all drivers younger than age 18
These changes are needed to improve Indiana’s GDL law and meet the requirements of the STANDUP Act
- Require age 16 for entry into the learner’s permit stage
- 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, for the entire intermediate stage through age 17
