GHSA Policy on Driver Licensing and Education

Excerpted from GHSA Policies & Priorities

Driver education provides safety benefits for novice drivers. Yet, driver education is significantly under-funded and increasingly inaccessible. GHSA urges states and communities to invest in the delivery of driver education to support the learning to drive process.

GHSA supports the model driver education/training curriculum that would complement and be integrated with graduated driver licensing laws. The curriculum should continue, at a minimum, to focus on vehicle handling and crash avoidance, driver behavior and risk reduction, roadway features and their safety implications, and vehicle-road user interactions for all types of vehicles and road users (e.g., car-truck, pedestrian-car). There should continue to be learning components specifically geared to the parents of young drivers that includes information on graduated driver licensing, the risk for teen drivers and the critical role they play in coaching and mentoring their new driver.. The curriculum should continue to take advantage of current adult learning research and utilize new technologies as appropriate. NHTSA should continue to promote the adoption of the model curriculum and partner with states and jurisdictions to evaluate the results and make refinements as needed.

GHSA supports the minimum certification standards for driver education teachers/instructors and encourages state adoption. NHTSA should continue to provide technical assistance to states to help them utilize the model curriculum and teacher/instructor standards and make other improvements in their driver licensing systems.

GHSA supports the concept of one driver, one driver’s license record. GHSA supports efforts to develop electronic systems for the collection of driver licensing and driver history information since such a system will facilitate the exchange of driver licensing and history information between states. GHSA supports federal government funding to states so that they can develop an appropriate electronic system that meets both federal requirements and state needs.

GHSA strongly encourages state membership in the Non-Resident Violators Compact, Driver License Compact, Driver License Agreement, and successor initiatives, and encourages the adoption of a one license/one record policy, and a classified Driver Licensing Program.

GHSA supports graduated driver licensing (GDL) for novice drivers, particularly teenaged drivers. Recognizing that driving is a complex task and that skills increase with experience, GHSA encourages all states and jurisdictions to adopt a 3-staged GDL system for all new drivers under age 21. GDL programs, at a minimum, should include the following components:

• A learner’s permit available at age 16 with a minimum holding period of at least twelve months;
• Adult supervision of learners permit holders by a licensed driver over age 21, including a requirement for at least 30-50 hours of supervised practice driving;
• Mandatory completion of state-approved driver education, including an on-the-road driving phase, during the learner phase;
• A provisional license that is granted after the learner’s permit and must be held until age 18 before a full license is granted;
• Nighttime driving restrictions for provisional license holders starting no later than 10:00 pm;
• Mandatory safety belt use;
• A restriction on passenger under age 21;
• Distinctive provisional driver’s licenses;
• Zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs;
• License suspension for any impaired driving conviction or implied consent refusal;
• Extension of the GDL stage for moving violations;
• Programs to support parent engagement in the learning-to-drive process; and
• Prohibition on all use (handheld and hands-free) of mobile electronic devices.

Since medical impairment has become more frequently identified as a contributing factor in vehicle crashes, GHSA urges states to adopt a comprehensive system to address the needs of drivers with physical or cognitive conditions that may impair the safe operation of a motor vehicle.

States should use in-person license renewal, crash data, and physician, law enforcement, and family referral to identify potentially at-risk drivers for further review. GHSA encourages every state to establish a Medical Advisory Board (MAB) or draw upon independent medical expertise with the capacity to assist motor vehicle administrators in: 1) developing medical guidelines/policies for driver licensing and 2) determining the safety fitness of operators that have been identified as having a medical condition that may impair their ability to drive. States should offer conditional drivers licenses that enable drivers with medical risks to stay safely mobile as long as possible.