Teen Driving Rules Tough, But Designed With Safety In Mind
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The tragic death of three Council Rock sophomores last weekend poses the question -- what are the rules for teen driving?
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, teens can't get a learner's permit until they're 16 years old, but that's when the real work begins -- six hours of driver training in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania, that number was increased in 2011 from 50 hours to 65.
"Ten of those hours must be at night and five of those must be in inclement weather," PennDOT's Jan McKnight explains.
McKnight says after six months with a permit, Pennsylvania teens take a skills test for a junior license, but there's a curfew, passenger and electronic device restrictions, then, after a year of no crashes, teenagers can get a full license. In New Jersey, they'll have to wait until they're 18 years old.
"Teens aren't bad drivers," says McKnight. "Teens are inexperienced drivers."
Pam Fisher leads the Teen Safe Driver Coalition in New Jersey where teen drivers must put a red dot on their license plate, so cops can spot them.
