Teens behind the wheel

June 28, 10:40 AMNewark Parenting Teens ExaminerDeirdre Ward

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Newark Parenting Teens Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Each year, like fledglings entering the real world, a new batch of provisional license holders merge onto the highway of life and become a part of the road. And, with this new-found freedom comes a number of rules, responsibilities and an understanding of what the consequences are for breaking the law.
 

Two main rules which seem easy enough to abide by but are among the top infractions for young drivers include the time-frame with which they are allowed to drive unsupervised and how many non-related passengers they can legally transport.
 

According to the department of Motor Vehicles: Provisional license holders under 18 are only authorized to drive without supervision between the hours of 5 a.m. to midnight. Between midnight and 5 a.m. they must be accompanied by a supervising driver who is 21 or older, and has held a license for a minimum of 3 years.


Provisional license holders under the age of 18, during the first 5 months (151 days) of the provisional period, are not allowed to have passengers under the age of 18, unless accompanied by a qualified supervising driver or the passengers are direct family members. Direct family members can be a spouse, daughter, son, stepdaughter, stepson, sister, brother, stepsister, or stepbrother of the provisional license holder, or a relative of the license holder who lives at the same address.

Before you toss your teen the keys to the car, have a talk about the basics of safe driving and Provisional license rules. Included in the conversation should be the prohibitive use of Cell phones/texting; seat belts should be buckled at all times; eating and drinking is not an option while the vehicle is in motion; and most importantly, NO Alcohol. By setting house rules and driving home the consequences, your teen is aware of what is expected of them on the home-front and behind the wheel.

And don’t forget the curfew. A few minutes past midnight may not turn teens into pumpkins, but it could leave a lasting mark on their Provisional driving record.