Connecticut
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Connecticut
In 2008, 36 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Connecticut. Over the past five years, Connecticut crashes involving teen drivers claimed 265 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Connecticut
The current GDL law in Connecticut includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 16 for learner’s permit, age 16 years and 6 months for the intermediate stage (16 years 4 months for teens completing driver education), and age 18 for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage (4 months for teens completing driver education)
- A minimum of 40 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A passenger restriction prohibiting any passengers other than parents or driving instructors for the first 6 months after licensure and prohibiting passengers other than parents, driving instructors, or members of the immediate family for the next 6 months after licensure
- A prohibition on non-emergency use of hand-held cell phones for all drivers and on hand-held and hand-free cell phones for drivers in the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
- A prohibition on texting while driving for all drivers
These changes are needed to improve Connecticut’s GDL law and meet the requirements of the STANDUP Act
- Strengthen the passenger restriction by extending it for the entire intermediate stage through age 17
