BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1113
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Date of Hearing: April 22, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 1113 (Frazier) - As Introduced: April 16, 2013
SUBJECT : Provisional driver's licenses: restrictions
SUMMARY : Makes changes to the Department of Motor Vehicle's
(DMV) Provisional Licensing Program. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires a person to hold an instructional driver's permit for
a minimum of nine months prior to applying for a provisional
driver's license (PDL).
2)Requires all PDL restrictions to remain in effect for
provisional licensees until they reach 18 years of age.
3)Prohibits a provisional licensee from driving between the
hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., except as specified.
4)Prohibits a provisional licensee from transporting passengers
who under 21 years of age, except as specified.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires a person to be at least age 15 and a half to apply
for an instructional driver's permit and is required to hold
the permit for a minimum of six months prior to applying for a
PDL.
2)Allows DMV to issue a driver's license to an applicant who is
at least 16 years of age but under 18 years of age pursuant to
DMVs provisional licensing program.
3)Requires a provisional licensee to be subject to the following
restrictions:
a) Prohibits driving during the hours of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.;
b) Prohibits transporting passengers who are under 20 years
of age, except as specified; and,
c) Requires a provisional licensee to be subject to the
abovementioned restrictions during the first 12 months
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after issuance of a PDL.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : In California, prior to 1998, learner's permits and
provisional driver's licenses were issued to persons between 15-
and 18-years of age. Those licenses did not impose unique
restrictions on teen driving, but carried increased sanctions
for violations of the Vehicle Code before reaching the age of
18. SB 1329 (Leslie), Chapter 760, Statutes of 1997, enacted
the initial iteration of California's current graduated drivers'
license (GDL) statutory scheme, 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, Statutes 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 major success in
reducing the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths among
teenage drivers. Studies published in the American Medical
Association (2011) and by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
(2012) have concluded that overall, PDL programs across the
country have had "a major impact in reducing young driver
crashes and associated injuries to themselves and others."
According to the AAA study, in 1995, prior to the widespread
introduction of PDL programs, 2,667 drivers ages 16-17 involved
in fatal crashes across the country. By 2010, the accident rate
dropped 57% with 1,150 fatal crashes for the same age group.
The author asserts that motor vehicle crashes are the leading
cause of death for teenagers in the United States "accounting
for nearly a third of all deaths of 16-19 year olds."
Furthermore, "teenage drivers have the highest rate of
involvement in crashes that result in the death of other people,
such as their passengers, pedestrians, and persons in other
vehicles."
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Considerable research has produced strong evidence that support
states' efforts to strengthen PDL programs for young drivers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has
reported that young drivers are particularly vulnerable to
"certain high-risk driving situations," such as driving at night
and driving with teenage passengers. In a "2008 Report to
Congress", NHTSA found "young drivers are frequently
inexperienced in hazard recognition and often take unnecessary
risks due to a combination of poor decisions making and an
illusion of invulnerability."
This bill aims to reduce teenage accident rates by strengthening
the state's PDL requirements and restrictions. Notably, AB 1113
strengthens several key PDL provisions that widespread research
has shown to be highly effective in reducing accident rates
among young drivers. In their study, the AAA Foundation
reported that states with passenger and nighttime restrictions
experienced a reduction in fatal accidents amongst 16- and
17-year-old drivers. This study also concluded that stronger
nighttime and passenger restrictions are effective tools in
further reducing accident rates for this age group.
Related legislation:
AB 724 (Cooley) would extend the age novice drivers would be
subject to the Provisional License Program from age 18 to age
20. That bill is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly
Transportation Committee today.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Allstate Insurance Company (Sponsor)
State Farm
Personal Insurance Federation of California
Impact Teen Drivers
California Association of Highway Patrolmen
Opposition
None on file
AB 1113
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Analysis Prepared by : Manny Leon / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093