Reminder From The DMV:

Newly Licensed 16- And 17-Year-Olds Cannot Give Friends, Classmates Rides

WATERBURY — As high school students now plan that daily commute to school with friends, the Department of Motor Vehicles wants to remind 16- and 17-year-old drivers — and their parents — about the state’s teenage passenger restriction laws.

Drivers who received a license during the summer or in the later part of the last school year cannot yet participate in that longstanding tradition of taking friends to school. He or she must wait for six months after the license was issued to transport friends and classmates.

“The school year is here and there will be many 16- and 17-year-old drivers planning this daily commute. They and their parents need to be mindful of these laws,” said DMV Commissioner Robert M. Ward. “Simply put these laws promote driving safety for our state’s young and inexperienced drivers.”

*In the driver’s first three months with a license, he or she may drive with only parents, a legal guardian, driving instructor licensed by the DMV or a person 20 years of age or older who has held a license for four years and has not had his or her license suspended during that four year period.

*In the driver’s second three months with a license, the only additional passengers allowed are members of the teenage driver’s immediate family.

*Until the driver’s 18th birthday, he or she may not transport more passengers than the number of seat belts in the vehicle.

*Driving is prohibited between the hours of midnight and 5 am, unless the individual is traveling for employment, school, religious activities or a medical necessity, or if the individual is an assigned driver in a Safe Ride program.

*Any driver issued a motorcycle endorsement may not transport a passenger for six months after obtaining the endorsement.

When any 16- or 17-year-old driver is responding to an emergency call or carrying out duties as an active member of a volunteer fire department, a volunteer ambulance service or an emergency medical service, the restrictions pertaining to passengers and to hours of operation do not apply if the driver is operating a passenger vehicle.

In addition, until their 18th birthday, drivers may not use cell phones (even if they are “hands-free”) or mobile electronic devices while they are driving. A mobile electronic device includes any hand-held computer or other device with any type of video display.