April 28, 2000
Introduction
I, like other parents with new drivers, have been getting conflicting
information from my athletes, friends of my daughter and even the SJ
Mercury News (Gary Richards - Roadshow) on what is and isn't allowed
for new drivers. So I went down to the DMV (on Flora Vista Dr. in
Santa Clara) and did my own research and below is what I found to be
the "documented" truth. I first went down to the DMV in January but
still got some questions that I was unable to answer so I made a
return visit at the end of February and this document has what I found.
Preparing to get your Permit
- Be 15 1/2 years of age.
- Pass a Drivers Education class.
- Pass a written test. If you fail the test, you must wait 1 week
before re-taking the test.
- Must be 16 or older.
- Must have a Drivers Permit for at least 6 months before you can get
a Provisional License.
- 6 hours of Driving School (from an accredited company).
- An additional 50 hours of driving practice, of which 10 hours must
be night time driving.
- Certification document signed by parent stating that the above 50
hours of driving has occurred.
- Must pass the behind-the-wheel driving test. If you fail, you must
wait 2 weeks before you can re-take the test.
(Note: The Parent-Teen Training Aide can be downloaded from the net
and covers all of the skills to be practiced.)
- You may drive alone only during the hours of 5AM and midnight.
- You must be with a licensed driver, 25 years or older, if you are
driving between the hours of midnight and 5AM.
- You must be with a licensed driver, 25 years or older, if you are
transporting others under the age of 20.
- You must be with a licensed driver, 25 years or older, if you are
driving between the hours of midnight and 5AM.
- You ARE ALLOWED to transport others under the age of 20 between
the hours of 5AM and midnight.
Exceptions to the Provisional License
- You may drive between the hours of midnight and 5AM if:
o Medical necessity (note from doctor needed)
o School activity (note from principal needed)
o Employment necessity (note from employer needed)
NOTE: A note from a parent saying you can drive during these hours is
NOT sufficient (according to the "Letter Of The Law".)
- You may drive a sibling if you have a note from the parent stating the
"What, When, Where & Why."
(Note: NO WHERE did I find information stating that it was all right to
transport a friend during your 1st 6 months - AT ANY TIME. View)
VC 12814.6 for all the jargon). I even spent 20 minutes talking with the
Drivers License Supervisor and she confirmed that the ONLY person
you may transport during your first 6 months of driving is a
sibling, and that's ONLY with a note from your parents.
Chances of getting Pulled Over
- An officer may not pull you over solely on the premise that he believes
you are a driving with a Provisional License.
- However, I wouldn't argue with one either.
Consequences
- 1st offense: 8-16 hours of Community Service and/or $35 fine.
- 2nd offense: 16-24 hours of Community Service and/or $50 fine.
- You have 90 days to complete the Community Service or:
o 1st offense: $35 fine
o 2nd offense: $50 fine
Reference Material
- Vehicle Code Book : About 3" thick, light blue, 5.5" x 7" in size
(pages 448-451; VC 12814.6) cost $3.00
- California Driver Handbook 2000 : Free, picture of Capital on cover
(pages 9-10)
- Sample Driving Tests
- DMV Main Page
- Call for Appointments at 1-800-777-0133
- Roadshow (Gary Richards - SJ Mercury News) : Contrary to what Mr. Richards
states, "EXCEPTIONS: Teens can drive immediate family members or friends
if permitted by their parents ..." (CHP as the quoted source). This is
only partially true; they can drive family members but at NO TIME can
they drive friends during the first 6 months, even with a note. I have
contacted the CHP (via e-mail) in regards to the above statement and I'm
currently waiting for a response (it's been 4 days now). Once I hear
something, I will post what I find out.
- A great link from a Teen's perspective.
Hank Lawson
Lynbrook HS X-C Coach