South Dakota
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in South Dakota
In 2008, 23 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in South Dakota. Over the past five years, South Dakota crashes involving teen drivers claimed 157 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in South Dakota
The current GDL law in South Dakota includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 14 for learner’s permit, age 14 years and 6 months for the intermediate stage (age 14 years and 3 months for teens who complete driver education), and age 16 for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage (3 months for teens who complete driver education)
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. during the intermediate stage
These changes are needed to improve South Dakota’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 , including texting while driving, during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
