Maine
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Maine
In 2008, 19 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Maine. Over the past five years, Maine crashes involving teen drivers claimed 185 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Maine
The current GDL law in Maine 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 16 years and 6 months for full licensure
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 35 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage, at least 5 of which must be at night
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between midnight and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A passenger restriction prohibiting passengers for the first 180 days after licensure
- A prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones, including texting while driving, during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages
These changes are needed to improve Maine’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
