Kentucky roads are on course for a change
Kentucky lawmakers have approved a bill lowering the minimum age for a learner’s permit to 15 instead of 16. Several other US states allow for permits at 15, but some restrict approval for a 15-year-old until after a certain number of months, like Maryland, which has a minimum age of 15 and nine months. Other states, including but not limited to Arkansas, Iowa, and Kansas, grant learner’s licenses as young as 14. Currently, following 180 days and meeting training requirements with a permit, 16-year-old drivers in Kentucky can be eligible for an intermediate license allowing for solo drives with restrictions, followed by a full license at 17.
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Proponents of Kentucky’s bill cite safety and economic benefits, as some feel that getting younger drivers onto the road will help build more experience behind the wheel and fill local jobs.
“This measure would give young drivers the opportunity to develop safe driving habits before obtaining their operator’s license and would bring our state in line with neighboring states,” Kentucky state representative Steven Rudy said in an interview with LINK nky. “Looking at our state’s workforce participation, it’s low across the board, but even in this teen area. How many fast food jobs could be filled by students that want to get a job but simply can’t get to a job? Particularly more in the rural areas,” Rudy added in an interview with Courier Journal.
Not everyone’s a fan of Kentucky’s bill
Others are anxious about the bill, like Melanie Perez, a 16-year-old in Kentucky with a learner’s permit. “In my high school, specifically, all of the freshmen and sophomores are a lot more irresponsible than they should be. They act like they’re still in middle school,” Perez said in an interview with Spectrum News 1. Kevin Geisel, a Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance representative, noted that there aren’t exact figures on this bill’s impact on car insurance rates, according to Unión Rayo. Still, monthly costs could increase if the state lowers its permit age requirement.
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Kentucky will have safeguards in place to help mitigate dangers associated with younger drivers hitting the road. These requirements include each 15-year-old with a permit needing 60 hours of supervised practice, 10 hours of night driving, and six months of supervised driving to get an intermediate license. The intermediate license also carries training requirements and a six-month minimum period to get a full license at 17 or older. Kentucky’s bill went to the state’s Governor, Andy Beshear, last week. Senate lawmakers will review and potentially vote on the bill next week. If approved, the law would come into effect immediately.
Final thoughts
While Kentucky state representative Steven Rudy suggests that lowering the age will make for safer driving habits, there’s significant debate surrounding whether getting younger people on the road faster is beneficial. According to the NHTSA, Motor vehicle traffic crashes are the leading cause of unintentional death for 15 to 20-year-olds in the US. Additionally, if a 15-year-old Kentucky driver gets their permit and a local job, they still would need an adult 21 years or older riding in the car with them until they get their intermediate license at 16, ultimately undermining the independent travel aspect that workers need.
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