Montana
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Montana
In 2008, 35 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Montana. Over the past five years, Montana crashes involving teen drivers claimed 189 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Montana
The current GDL law in Montana includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 14 years and 6 months for learner’s permit, age 15 for the intermediate stage, and age 16 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 11 a.m. and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A passenger restriction prohibiting more than one passenger younger than age 18 for the first 6 months after licensure and prohibiting more than 3 passengers younger than age 18 for the next 6 months after licensure
These changes are needed to improve Montana’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
- 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
- Add a prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices , including texting while driving, during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
