Graduated Driver Licensing: Not a One-Size-Fits-All Approach

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November 16th, 2017

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) has reduced crash rates among 16- and 17-years-olds. In view of the well-documented effectiveness of GDL, some advocates have begun pushing to extend GDL requirements to those who begin driving at 18 and older.

An optimal GDL system involves three license stages:

a mandatory 12-month learner period requiring supervision by a licensed adult driver at all times;
an intermediate stage of six months that allows some unsupervised driving but still requires driving supervision in high-risk conditions including while carrying multiple young passengers or driving after 9 p.m.; and
a full driver’s license.