Pennsylvania
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Pennsylvania
In 2008, 242 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Pennsylvania. Over the past five years, Pennsylvania crashes involving teen drivers claimed 1444 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Pennsylvania
The current GDL law in Pennsylvania 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, and age 18 for full licensure (age 17 for teens who complete driver education)
- A mandatory 6 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 50 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
These changes are needed to improve Pennsylvania’s GDL law and meet the requirements of the STANDUP Act
- Strengthen the minimum age for full licensure by removing the exception for teens who complete driver education and allowing full licensure only at age 18
- 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
