New York Injury Talk Blog

Starting February 22, 2010, New York State is making some changes to its licensing laws. According to a news report in the Pall Times, the state is stepping up the standards for young drivers to get their driver's licenses. This comes after more than five years of statistical evidence that young drivers, specifically teens, are at greater risk of dying in car accidents than any other age group.

The new law allows only one non-family passenger under the age of 21 to be present in a vehicle operated by a junior license holder when he or she is not accompanied by a parent or guardian. Recent studies have shown that the presence of teen passengers in a vehicle driven by a teenager increases the chances of a car accident. Also, the new law requires that a junior permit must be held for six months before a license can be issued. This new approach should help give the driver more time to gain experience and much-needed practice behind the wheel. Also, the supervised driving requirement before the road test will increase from 20 to 50 hours.