When you have a teen driver living in your household, it’s easy to get caught up in setting your own rules about when, how, where and with whom they can drive. And while every family needs to set their own rules for driving safety, it’s also important for parents to recognize that there are state laws that pertain specifically to drivers under the age of 18, too. When you’re making rules for your children as they learn to drive, it’s important to incorporate the law into every discussion you have and use your own rules to supplement the law, instead of making the situation confusing for your kids. Here are some of the most important laws you should understand when it comes to teen drivers in Arizona before you make your own rules.
Drivers under the age of 18 years old, using a graduated driver’s license, are not allowed to drive between midnight and five o’clock in the morning. There are exceptions to this rule. The first is when a parent or legal guardian is present in the passenger seat of the vehicle. The second is if your teen is driving to or from a school activity that has been sanctioned by their school, if they are going to or from their place of work, if they are traveling to or from an activity for your church, or if there is an emergency of some sort that requires them to travel, though the emergency must be a family emergency. You may wish to set additional rules for your teen’s driving hours after dark but should make certain that they, and you, follow these rules.
Drivers who have had their driver’s license for less than 6 months are not allowed to drive with passengers under the age of 18. There are some exceptions to this rule, which include the passengers being your other children, or if a parent or legal guardian is sitting in the front passenger seat.
Teens that make it through the first six months of holding a driver’s license without issue, suspension or restriction extensions can drive without any restrictions thereafter. As a parent, you may wish to keep some restrictions in place while you become more comfortable with having a teenage driver in your home.
If your child does get into an accident, contact the reliable teen driver accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. You may have a claim against the other driver.