This newly licenced motorist in the adjacent lane may not have had any driving experience in the preceding six months or longer.
However, a panel of New Jersey legislators voted unanimously to forward a bill that would require young drivers to complete a set amount of practise hours before obtaining a driver’s licence.
How Many Practice Driving Hours Are Required in New Jersey?
Before obtaining a permit, young aspiring drivers in New Jersey must undergo six hours of behind-the-wheel training with a registered instructor.
However, practise obligations terminate thereafter. Permit holders are encouraged to engage in at least six months of supervised driving practise.
New Jersey is one of just three states that does not require permit holders to complete a minimum number of hours of supervised driving in order to obtain a licence.
NJ May Require a Certain Number of Practice Driving Hours
Thursday, the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee passed a bill mandating at least 50 hours of supervised driving practise for permit holders under the age of 21. Ten of those hours must occur while the sun is not visible.
Zoe Gilson, a senior at West Orange High School, told the committee that the present system makes it too simple to obtain a probationary licence.
Gilson stated that she did not apply for a provisional licence on her 17th birthday because she was not ready to drive alone.
She stated, “I was afraid to speed, unable to make left turns, and had difficulty maintaining in my lane.”
Under the proposed legislation, the supervising adult would be required to certify that the 50 hours of practise driving have been accomplished. The Motor Vehicle Commission could suspend a person’s driving privileges for submitting a fake certification.
In 2021, the Senate and Assembly transportation committees adopted a similar proposal.
Should New Jersey Require Practice Driving Hours?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2022, more than 2,200 individuals died in collisions involving young drivers across the country. The organisation recommends that parents or guardians maintain a daily record of their teen’s driving activity.
NHTSA reports that teen drivers have the greatest collision rate of any age group during their first six months of unsupervised driving after receiving their licence.
States that demand a minimum number of hours of behind-the-wheel experience for permit applicants often stipulate between 40 and 50 hours.
29 of the 368 fatally injured drivers in New Jersey in 2021 were between the ages of 16 and 20, according to the New Jersey State Police.
In New Jersey, the number of fatal crashes (667) and the number of road fatalities (697) were the most since 2007 records began.
Tracy Noble, appearing on behalf of AAA, told the Assembly panel, “When we hit a 15-year high in road fatalities, with the majority being preventable, we must do better.” “We must put out effort. We must have our youngsters put out effort.”
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