- Kentucky lawmakers are on the verge of allowing 15-year olds to get a driver’s license.
- Teenagers would need to be accompanied by a driving-qualified adult aged 21 or over.
- House Bill 15 was passed to the Senate this week and will be voted on next Tuesday.
Modern safety and convenience tech can make driving feel like child’s play, which is exactly what it could soon be in Kentucky depending on how the state’s lawmakers vote next week. If the Senate passes House Bill 15, children as young as 15 years old will be able to drive on the public highway.
The bill was introduced in early January and successfully voted through to the Senate this week by the Transportation Committee. The Senate’s lawmakers are due to review and potentially vote on the bill next week, and if they give it the green light the law will come into force immediately.
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Under current Kentucky law, teens can get a permit at 16 allowing them to drive alongside an adult. After 180 days they can upgrade to an intermediate license that gets them out on the road by themselves with restrictions, and come 17 they’re entitled to a full license. But the bill would give drivers a basic permit at 15, bringing Kentucky into line with neighboring US states like Tennessee and West Virginia, and a full license at 16 and a half, Kentucky’s Courier Journal reports.
However, there are some safeguards designed to prevent juvenile road carnage if the bill becomes law. To qualify for a license, teenagers are required to complete 60 hours of driving, 10 of which must take place at night. And most importantly, they can’t drive unless they have an adult riding shotgun who is at least 21 years old and is themselves a qualified driver.
Proponents of the bill say it allows young drivers more time on the road before gaining their full license. The thinking is that giving them more experience will help cut accident rates. And there are claimed economic advantages as well.
“Looking at our state’s workforce participation, it’s low across the board, but even in this teen area,” state Rep. Steven Rudy told the Courier Journal. “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.”
But those opposed to the legislation argue that 15-year-olds aren’t responsible enough to drive. Do you think it’s a good idea to let people behind the wheel at such a young age? Leave a comment and let us know your viewpoint.
