Young Drivers, Harsh Penalties
As a general rule young drivers are bad drivers. This makes sense. The more we practice something the better we get. Young drivers lack the driving hours to be proficient. They are also young, which means they make poor choices due to 1) limited life experience, 2) intense peer pressure, and 3) raging hormones.
Despite, or because of, these impediments to clear thought, the law holds inexperienced drivers to a higher standard. Young drivers who receive two moving violations (speeding tickets, rolling through stop signs, etc.) before age twenty-four (24) are subjected to driver retraining. If you don’t take the class? Your license is suspended.
Driver retraining? Costs money and time.
Complete the retraining, but stopped again? Suspended.
In Connecticut, a license suspension is not automatically lifted once the suspension has run. It will cost time and money to reinstate.
Driving while your license is suspended? Jail. Be warned, your inconvenience is not a valid reason to drive with a suspended license. So, if that means you can’t get to work, school, or family events, damn shame.
Very Young Drivers, Harsher Penalties
Very young drivers – those sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years old – face other restrictions. They are not allowed cell phones, even hands-free, until they are eighteen (18). They have a curfew, with limited exceptions. Their ability to transport passengers is also limited:
For the first 6 months after obtaining a driver license, [they] may only drive with:
- Licensed driving instructor; or
- Parents or legal guardian, at least one of whom holds a valid driver license; or
- Person providing instruction who is at least 20 years old, has held a license for at least 4 years with no suspensions during the last 4 years
For the second 6 months, may drive with the above people or may also drive with immediate family (e.g., brothers, and sisters).
Youthful indiscretion is not lightly forgiven.
