West Virginia
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in West Virginia
In 2008, 48 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in West Virginia. Over the past five years, West Virginia crashes involving teen drivers claimed 308 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in West Virginia
The current GDL law in West Virginia 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 17 for full licensure
- 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, at least 10 of which must be at night (none required for teens who complete driver education)
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage
- A passenger restriction prohibiting passengers younger than age 20 for the first six months after licensure; no more than one passenger younger than age 20 is permitted for the second six months after licensure
- A prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones for drivers younger than age 18 who are in the learner’s permit or the intermediate stage
- A prohibition on texting while driving for drivers younger than age 18 who are in the learner’s permit or the intermediate stage
These changes are needed to improve West Virginia’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
