Graduated driver licensing systems (GDLS) are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. There are typically three steps or stages through which new drivers pass. They begin by acquiring a learner’s permit, progress to a restricted, provisional or probationary license, followed by receipt of a full driver's license.
Graduated licensing is a method of licensing used for granting individuals the privilege to perform a task that takes skill and may put other individuals at risk of harm if not done properly, notably driving. Graduated drivers' licensing generally restricts nighttime, expressway, and unsupervised driving during initial stages, but lifts these restrictions with time and further testing of the individual, eventually concluding with the individual attaining a full driver's license. Districts that have enacted graduated driver's licensing have reported significant drops in fatal accidents.
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Acquiring a learner’s permit typically requires a minimum age and passing vision and knowledge tests. Parental or guardian permission may be required if below a specified age. Those who hold a learner’s permit must generally drive under the supervision of a licensed driver, not be affected by alcohol or other drugs, and there may be restrictions imposed on maximum speed that a learner driver can drive, the types of road that can be driven, and even on the use of mobile phones (cell phones). There may also be limits imposed on the number of passengers in the vehicle, and learner drivers may be required to be free of moving violations and at-fault accidents or crashes for a minimum period of time before moving to the next stage. In many jurisdictions a learner driver is required to display an L sign on the outside of the vehicle to indicate to other road users that training and supervised driving is being undertaken. Learner drivers may also be required to complete a logbook of their driving experience, which must be certified or countersigned by a supervising driver or driver trainer.
The transition from a learner license to an intermediate, provisional or probationary license typically requires a minimum age and usually requires the learner driver to pass an on-road driving test, although in some jurisdictions there may be alternative licensing paths offered involving a continuous process of competency based training and assessment under the guidance and instruction of an accredited driver trainer.
Those who receive an intermediate, provisional or probationary license may drive without supervision, although driving at certain times (typically after midnight until around sunrise) and driving with passengers in the vehicle may require the presence of a supervising driver who is fully licensed. Drivers typically must remain free of moving violations and at-fault accidents for a specified period of time. In some places, drivers with these licenses must have no alcohol or other drugs in their blood while they are driving, and may be restricted to certain maximum speeds and from using mobile phones. In some jurisdictions an intermediate, provisional or probationary driver is required to display a P sign on the outside of the vehicle to indicate to other road users and police of their license status (and hence of restrictions that may apply).
Receipt of a full drivers license typically requires a specific minimum age, a minimum time period of driving experience, and may require the passing of a final road test of driving skills or the passing of a hazard perception test.
Graduated driver licensing systems are regarded as the primary means of ensuring that novice drivers (typically young drivers) are introduced to the use of motor vehicles in a safe, controlled, and low risk manner.
The first graduated driver licensing systems involving a learner licensing phase, an intermediate, provisional or probationary licensing phase, and full licensing were developed in Australia in the 1960s, but the advocacy of graduated driver licensing in North America is associated with Professor Patricia Waller, of the University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center and later the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, commencing in the 1970s.
North American graduated driver licensing systems emerged in the late 1980s and 1990s (and were heavily influenced by a revamped graduated licensing system introduced in New Zealand in the 1980s, itself based on Waller's writings), and have now been adopted in almost all US and Canadian jurisdictions. These systems place particular emphases on passenger restrictions and night time driving curfews for young drivers.
In contrast, the approach of European graduated driver licensing systems places much greater emphasis on the training experiences of learner drivers prior to solo driving, with a lesser focus on license restrictions at the intermediate, provisional or probationary licensing phase. Young drivers in European graduated driver licensing systems are typically older, as minimum licensing ages are older than most other countries. As well, most learner driver experience is obtained through professional driving instructors rather than through ad hoc supervision.
The Australian approaches to graduated driver licensing reflect and extend the thinking underpinning the North American and European approaches, combining restrictions on young drivers with intensive training requirements but also adding significant enforcement (zero tolerance with regard to speeding, driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs, and the use of mobile telephones by young drivers) and penalty components (particularly the suspension of a drivers license for offenses, the impounding of motor vehicles, and opportunities to attend traffic offender intervention programs as part of the penalty process). As in Europe, minimum licensing ages in Australian graduated driver licensing systems are older than in the North American graduated driver licensing systems, and most learner drivers in Australia also receive driver training from professional driving instructors as well as practice under informal driving supervision. Critical features of the Australian graduated driver licensing systems are the mandatory display of L and P plates on the front and back of vehicles driven by learner drivers and provisionally licensed drivers, and the compulsory carriage of a drivers license which facilitates police identification of young drivers and their vehicles.
Australian graduated driver licensing systems continue to evolve, and it is considered that the approaches taken in jurisdictions such as New South Wales and Victoria now reflect world best practice in combining regulatory licensing restrictions with driver training while retaining an emphasis on enforcement action and visibility to other road users.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) first commenced in Australia in the mid 1960s with New South Wales introducing provisional licences on 4 January 1966. Learner licences had been in use since 1952. The provisional phase was for 12 months and had 40mph speed restriction. Today in all Australian states, newly licensed drivers are required by law to display P-plates for varying lengths of time. The P is usually a red or green letter on a white background or a white letter on a red or green background (Victoria & Western Australia only). In New South Wales and Victoria there are two classes of provisional licence, red P-plates are for the first year after passing the Learner test and then after passing a computerised test they are green for two to three years. Western Australia requires six months of red P-plates, where provisional drivers are under a 12 am – 5 am curfew, and one and a half years of green P-plates.
On 1 July 2000, New South Wales introduced a three stage Graduated Licensing Scheme (GLS).
Stage one is a learner licence with the requirement to complete 50 hours of supervised driving (increased to 120 hours 1 July 2007). Stage two is a one year P1 probationary licence (with red P plates). Stage three is a three year P2 probationary licence (with green P plates).
On 1 July 2010, Victoria introduced the Graduated Licensing Systems (GLS).
Stage one is a one year P1 probationary licence (with red P plates). Stage two is a three year P2 probationary licence (with green P plates). P1 drivers are prohibited from using a mobile phone of any kind. P1 drivers are banned from towing, except for work or when supervised. P1 drivers can carry no more than one passenger aged between 16 years of age and less than 22 years, unless the passengers are immediate family members. A good driving record will be necessary to progress to the next licence stage.
As of July 2007, newly issued Queensland drivers licences have new restrictions for those under 25. Learners must first log 100 hours of driving experience (of which 10 must be undertaken at night) before taking their practical driving examination. Learners can boost this experience by taking professional lessons which counts for 3 times the hours, for up to 10 hours (or 30 logbook hours.) After a period of one year provisional drivers must then pass a hazard-perception test to move from red to green P-Plates where previously only a 3 year duration was required. New restrictions also prevent any under-25, Queensland provisional licence-holder from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21, who is not an immediate family member, between the hours of 11pm and 5am
In South Africa, a time-based graduated licensing system is used. To attain a full drivers' license, an individual must first attain a 'Learner's license'.[1] The individual must be 17 years old to be able to attain a learner's license to operate a 'light motor vehicle', and 18 years old to be able to attain a learner's license to operate any motor vehicle. Once the learner's license is given, the individual has eighteen months to attain their full license.
In the United States, transportation laws are the responsibility of the state governments.
The State of Alabama uses an age-based graduated licensing system.[2] A new driver over the age of 18 does not need to go through the graduated licensing process; they receive their full license after fulfilling requirements (tests and fees). A 15-year-old licensee must be accompanied by a licensed driver of 21 years of age or up. A 16-year-old licensee, with permission, may drive unsupervised. However, between 12 am and 6 am, 16-year-olds need supervision unless performing necessary activities.
In Canada, each province is responsible for the transportation laws. Most provinces not listed have a system that resembles one of the following graduated licensing programs.
In British Columbia, the graduated licensing system is based on driving experience. A driver who is at least 16 years old and has never driven before must first take a knowledge test to attain their Learner's permit. Upon achieving this, they must be supervised by a full licensed driver of at least 25 years of age when driving. After a minimum of one year, but not more than two, they must pass a practical driver's exam. Upon succeeding the driver's exam, they receive their Novice permit, which allows them to drive alone, but with several restrictions. After a minimum of two years, they may take another exam, and upon passing, they become a full licensed driver with no restrictions.
Drivers who have had experience driving outside the province must take the knowledge test and get their Learner's permit, but they are allowed to upgrade their status to Novice after a minimum of one day. However, they must similarly wait a period of two years before attempting to gain their full license.
In Ontario, the graduated licensing system is a time-based process. Once an individual turns 16, he/she is eligible to acquire a class G1 license, which is the beginning stage. This is done by passing both a knowledge test as well as a vision test. The G1 license is required by law to be held for 12 months, unless he/she takes an approved Driver's Education course, by which the waiting time is dropped to 8 months. A holder of a G1 license may drive only with a driver who has 4 years' experience at the G level and with a BAC of under .05 (the passenger driver). At the end of that period, he/she can take a G1 exit test which tests basic driving skills. Passing this grants him/her a G2 license which enables him/her to drive alone with a limited number of passengers in the vehicle, unless certain requirements are met. G2 licenses are kept for 12 months and then he/she can take the G2 exit test, which tests freeway driving as well as city driving skills. Passing this grants the Class G licence which is a full license.
There are a few other graduated licensing systems in Ontario, including motorcycles (M1, M2, M) and since 2005, mopeds (for a non-class M license holder) (LM1, LM2).
Hong Kong uses a graduated licensing system regardless of the driver's age. A new license of any kind must comply with a 12-month minimum restricted period. Restricted license holder are not allowed to drive exceed 70 km/h (even the speed limit is higher), cannot drive on the overtaking lane on highways, and cannot carry passengers (for motorcyclists). Restricted period will be extended for 6 months if mild driving regulations are violated (even not driving on the car type concerned). All licenses will be void if a restricted driver was found drinking before driving or committed a severe regulation violation.
The automobile insurance industry generally supports graduated licensing. However, some youth rights advocates have accused insurance companies of charging premiums to new and young drivers in GDL jurisdicitions that are not substantially less than premuims in non-GDL jurisdictions, even though graduated licensing supposedly reduces the risk of accidents.
This issue is generally restricted to jurisdictions with private auto insurance. Most state-run automobile insurance schemes do not discriminate on account of age or driving experience.
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