BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1801
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Date of Hearing: April 9, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 1801 (Frazier) - As Introduced: February 18, 2014
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:14-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires all provisional driver's license (PDL)
restrictions to remain in effect for provisional licensees until
they reach 18 years of age, rather than just for the first 12
months after receiving their PDL.
FISCAL EFFECT
One-time special fund costs of around $330,000 for the DMV for
information technology-related changes ($180,000) and revision
to the Parent/Teen Handbook, prior to the normal updating
process, and destruction of existing handbooks ($150,000).
[Motor Vehicle Account]
COMMENTS
1)Background . SB 1329 (Leslie)/Statutes 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)/Statutes of 2005, extended the time frame, from
six 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
AB 1801
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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 . This bill aims to further reduce teenage accident
rates by extending the period PDL drivers are subject to
provisional licensing requirements - currently 12 months - to
age 18 regardless of the age a PDL driver originally obtains
their driver's license.
3)Prior Legislation . Last year, AB 1113 (Frazier) contain
several provisions to tighten requirements of the PDL Program,
including the provision contained in this bill. The Governor
vetoed AB 1113, stating that while he agreed with the need to
address factors contributing to unnecessary accidents and
deaths of young drivers, rather than imposing more
restrictions, he would direct DMV, the CHP, and Office of
Traffic Safety to implement a teen driver training and
education program.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081