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January 17, 2008
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Interesting News Story on Social Security
Missouri's Law for Teen Drivers
Well, that day finally came--my oldest child just turned 16! To a parent, that birthday can be the most liberating, yet most frightening, birthday that you will experience with your child. On the one hand, it is liberating that your child can now drive herself to soccer practice or to the movies, and your carpool duties have diminished. On the other hand, it is frightening every time she gets into the car, and you worry that she may suffer the effects of her inexperience and be involved in a terrible accident.
When I was a child, kids could get their permits at 15 1/2 and get a full driver's license at 16. There were no requirements as to the number of hours you drove before you could get your license. If you passed the driver's test, you were licensed. Well, that's not the case anymore. Missouri recently changed the rules for kids under the age of 18, passing the Missouri Graduated Drivers License Law.
If you have a teenager who is approaching driving age, you need to familiar yourself with the law. Don't rely on your teenager to tell you what the law says--he or she can be very wrong! For instance, one section of the law states that a 16-year-old cannot drive with more than one unrelated person for the first six months of having his or her driver's license. Well, my daughter came home from school one day and proceeded to tell me, her "lawyer-mom," that a police officer came to school and told the kids that this law did not apply if they were driving their school carpool (of course, this statement was made when my daughter was lobbying to drive the school carpool!). Much to her dismay, "lawyer-mom" pulled out the law and showed her that there is no such exception for carpoolers in the law, and she better pray that if she drives more than one unrelated individual before she has had her license for six months, that the officer who came to her class is the one who pulls her over! Now, I don't doubt that the nice officer might have said that he is not going to enforce the law if he sees a carpool driving to school, but that doesn't mean she isn't breaking the law if she is doing it!
The principal feature of the law is the intermediate driver's license, which covers drivers between the ages of 16 and 18. In order to obtain an intermediate license, a driver must:
•Have their instruction permit for at least six months;
•Have no traffic convictions for six months, and no alcohol-related offenses for 12 months; and
•Have at least 40 hours, including 10 nighttime hours, behind the wheel.
After the driver has fulfilled the above requirements, an intermediate license can be issued if the teen passes the driver's exam. The important features of the intermediate license are as follows:
•For the first 6 months, the teen may not drive with more than one passenger who is under 19 years old and who is not a member of the teen's immediate family;
•After the first 6 months, the teen may not drive with more than three passengers who are under 19 years old and who are not members of the teen's immediate family; and
•The teen may not drive alone between 1:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. except to and from a school activity, job, or for an emergency, unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21 years old or older.
If you have further questions, follow this link to the Missouri Department of Revenue's Frequently Asked Questions --Graduated Driver's License Law.
