Mississippi
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Mississippi
In 2008, 120 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Mississippi. Over the past five years, Mississippi crashes involving teen drivers claimed 845 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Mississippi
The current GDL law in Mississippi includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 for learner’s permit, age 15 years and 6 months for the intermediate stage, and age 16 for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A prohibition on texting while driving during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
These changes are needed to improve Mississippi’s GDL law and meet the requirements of the STANDUP Act
- Require age 16 for entry into the learner’s permit stage
- Extend restrictions on teen drivers through age 17
- Add a passenger restriction prohibiting more than one non-familial passenger under the age of 21 unless a licensed driver over the age of 21 is in the vehicle, for the entire intermediate stage through age 17
- Add a prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
