BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 724
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 8, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 724 (Cooley) - As Amended: April 16, 2013
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:10-4
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill extends the state's Provisional Driver's License (PDL)
requirements to those under age 20 instead of under age 18.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Subjects a driver less than 20 years of age to existing
requirements and restrictions of the Provisional Licensing
Program, including:
a) completing driver's education and training;
b) holding an instructional permit for a minimum of six
months, and within that period completing 50 hours of
supervised driving practice with a licensed driver 25 years
of age or older.
c) prohibitions on driving between 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and
from transporting passengers under age 20 unless
accompanied by a parent, guardian, licensed driver who is
25 years of age or older, or a licensed or certified
driving instructor.
d) subjecting the licensee to these restrictions for the
first 12 months or until reaching age 20 upon issuance of a
PDL.
2)Specifies additional documentation a provisional licensee
between 18 and 19 may use to be exempt from certain driving
restrictions.
3)Clarifies that DMV is not required to issue the same
distinctive driver's license to a provisional licensee between
18 and 19 that is issued to a provisional licensee under age
18.
AB 724
Page 2
FISCAL EFFECT
One-time significant programming costs to DMV in the range of
$400,000. These costs would likely be greater for a January 1,
2014 implementation due to a backlog of programming changes at
the department, thus a more expensive manual workaround would be
required to meet the current operative date of the bill. DMV had
not identified any other costs at the time of this analysis.
[Motor Vehicle Account]
COMMENTS
1)Background . SB 1329 (Leslie)/Chapter 760 of 1997, enacted the
state's initial statutory scheme for graduated drivers'
licenses (GDLs), placing restrictions on the activities
(driving at night, driving with teenaged passengers, etc.) of
16 and 17 year old drivers for the initial phase of licensure.
AB 1474 (Maze)/Chapter 337 of 2005, extended the time frame,
from 6 to 12 months, during which a provisional licensee is
prohibited from operating a vehicle while transporting
individuals under the age of 20. It also prohibited
provisional licensees from driving between the hours of 11:00
p.m. and 5:00 a.m., instead of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.,
during their first 12 months of licensure, without a signed
statement attesting that the driver's assistance is needed for
medical, employment, schooling, or family transportation
purposes.
The PDL program is widely perceived to be a success in
reducing the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths among
teenage drivers. According to the AAA study, in 1995, prior to
the widespread introduction of PDL programs, 2,667 drivers
ages 16-17 were involved in fatal crashes nationwide. By
2010, the number of fatal accidents for this cohort dropped
57%, to 1,150 fatal crashes.
2)Purpose . An increasing number of teens delay obtaining their
driver's license until they are 18 or older, when they can get
their license without needing to fulfill driver education and
training requirements, and can drive without the same
restrictions that are imposed on provisional drivers who are
under age 18. Studies show the first year or so of driving by
a newly licensed driver tends to carry the most danger,
AB 724
Page 3
whether that driver is 16, 18, or indeed any age. The author
indicates that "18- and 19-year olds that did not participate
in the PDL make up 27% of novice drivers, and have crash rates
23% higher than their same-aged peers who were licensed
through the PDL."
3)Related Legislation . AB 1113 (Frazier), also on today's
committee agenda, strengthens certain aspects of the state's
Provisional Licensing Law.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081