Few restrictions in Arkansas’s existing GDL

Arkansas unveiled its graduated driver licensing law in 2002 as a means to ease young drivers into the traffic environment. The measure replaced a law that only required a new driver to hold a restricted license and be accompanied by a licensed driver for six months.

However, the obstacles that a teenager must hurdle before gaining an unrestricted license under the GDL law are generally minimal compared to other such systems across the country. There are no restrictions on the time of day a teen can drive or on the number on passengers that the novice driver can transport. Plus, there is no required training time spent with a licensed parent or guardian.

Compared to AAA’s guidelines for an effective GDL law, Arkansas’s law falls woefully short.

Arkansas’s current GDL law

Learner’s License

• Must be at least 14 years old.
• Must pass vision and knowledge test.
• Driver must be accompanied by someone at least 21 years old.
• All passengers must have seatbelts on at all times.
• No serious accident or traffic convictions within six months prior to making application.

Intermediate License

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must already have a Learner’s License or have successfully completed vision and knowledge test.
• All passengers must have seatbelts on at all times;
• No serious accident or traffic conviction within six months prior to making application.
• Novice drivers under 18 must be accompanied by a licensed adult (21+) for at least six months.

Unrestricted License

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must already have an Intermediate License or have successfully completed vision and knowledge test.
• No serious accident or traffic conviction within 12 months prior to making application;

AAA’s recommended GDL

Learner’s License

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must pass vision and knowledge test.
• Drivers must be accompanied by someone at least 21.
• All passengers must have seatbelts on at all times.
• No serious accident or traffic convictions within six months prior to making application.
• Six-month holding period
• Novice driver should be required to take a basic driver education course.
• Novice drivers should have at least 50 hours practice (including nighttime driving) certified by a parent, guardian or licensed instructor.
• Novice drivers should not be permitted to use telecommunications devices (cell phones, instant messaging, etc. ) while driving on an learner’s stage.

Intermediate License

• Must be at least 16 and a half years old.
• Must have successfully completed first stage.
• All passengers must have seatbelts on at all times.
• No serious accident or traffic conviction within six months prior to making application.
• Six-month minimum holding period.
• No more than one teen passenger for first six months.
• Restricted from driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Drivers should take and pass an advanced driver education course over the course of a year.
• Novice drivers should not be permitted to use telecommunications devices (cell phones, instant messaging, etc. ) while driving on an Intermediate License.

Unrestricted License

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Successful completion of stage two.
• Pass a final road test.

Next: More comprehensive GDL laws save more lives »