Georgia
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Georgia
In 2010, 197 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Georgia. Over the past five years, Georgia crashes involving teen drivers claimed 1194 lives. Nationally, since 2000, more than 85,000 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Georgia
The current GDL law in Georgia includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 for learner’s permit, age 16 for the intermediate stage, and age 18 for full licensure
- A mandatory 12 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 6 of which must be at night
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between midnight and 6 a.m. during the intermediate stage (secondary enforcement)
- A passenger restriction prohibiting passengers during the first 6 months after licensure; prohibiting more than 1 passenger during the next 6 months after licensure; and prohibiting more than 3 passengers during the remainder of the intermediate stage (secondary enforcement)
- A prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
- A prohibition on texting while driving for all drivers
These changes are needed to improve Georgia’s GDL law and meet the requirements of the STANDUP Act
- Require age 16 for entry into the learner’s permit stage
- Strengthen the passenger restriction by 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
For more information and to contact your state representative, please visit: http://www.legis.ga.gov/.
To contact your Member of Congress about the STANDUP Act, S. 528 / H.R. 1515, please visit: http://www.capitolconnect.com/saferoads4teens/
