Alaska
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Alaska
In 2010, 8 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Alaska. Over the past five years, Alaska crashes involving teen drivers claimed 71 lives. Nationally, since 2000, more than 85,000 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Alaska
The current GDL law in Alaska includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 14 for learner’s permit, age 16 for the intermediate stage, and age 16 years and 6 months for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 40 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage, at least 10 of which must be at night or in inclement weather
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A passenger restriction prohibiting driving with any passengers for the first six months of licensure
- A prohibition on texting while driving for drivers of all ages
These changes are needed to improve Alaska’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 hand-held and hands-free cell phones during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
For more information and to contact your state representative, please visit: http://www.state.ak.us.
To contact your Member of Congress about the STANDUP Act, S. 528 / H.R. 1515, please visit: http://www.capitolconnect.com/saferoads4teens/
