Modernizing the drivers licensing system in Kansas will provide teens with the experience they need to become lifelong responsible drivers. GDL is a "graduated drivers licensing" system (SB 294) that provides teens with the opportunity to gain more experience under safer conditions before they become fully-licensed drivers.
Videos
Click on the links below to watch KAC's videos about the proposed GDL:
Statistics
A 16-year-old driver is five times more likely than a 20-year-old driver to be involved in a fatal crash. In Kansas, approximately 7,000 injuries and 80 deaths involving a teen driver occur each year. The two greatest risks to teen drivers are unsupervised nighttime driving and the presence of multiple passengers in the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there really a problem with teen crashes?Yes. Teens have the highest crash rate of all drivers. Although teens only account for 6% of drivers in Kansas, they are involved in 20% of car crashes.
Why does the law need changed?
Driving conditions have changed over the past 20 years. Cars are more powerful, speed limits have increased and Kansans are on the road twice as much as they were just two decades ago. But, our drivers licensing policy has not changed and is failing to properly prepare teens to become lifelong responsible drivers. Existing policy also does not factor in the latest research on how brain development during the early teen years affects driving skills. We now know that the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and understanding future consequences - both critical skills for drivers - is still developing during the early teen years.
Will a GDL work?
Yes. GDL laws in other states have proven successful in reducing teen crashes. Studies show that after GDL implementation, states see up to a 20% decrease in teen crashes. Forty-four other states already have a strengthened GDL law because they know it’s a policy that works.
How does GDL work?
GDL gives teens more driving experience under safer conditions. It incorporates new research we’ve learned about teen drivers related to their age and how they are affected by dangerous driving conditions.
- Age – Because we know that the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and understanding future consequences continues to develop throughout the teenage years, GDL requires that teens be a little older than previously required before they assume full driving responsibility. GDL also rewards teens for making good decisions, such as obeying the speed limit and wearing their seat belts. When new drivers demonstrate they can follow the guidelines and have a clean driving record, they move on to the next step in the GDL process.
- Night-time driving – GDL requires that when teens first start to drive they must be accompanied by an adult when driving at night, unless traveling to or from work or a school activity. Driving at night is especially dangerous for teens; they are more than twice as likely to die during night hours than during the day.
- Passenger safety – One of the most dangerous situations for a teen driver is being distracted by friends in the car. In fact, for every additional passenger, the likelihood of an accident increases dramatically. GDL addresses this danger by limiting the number of non-sibling passengers under the age of 21 during the restricted license phase.
What about teens who work on a farm? Does GDL include Farm Permits? Yes. GDL includes the same provisions as the current law, which provides driving permits for teens who help on the family farm or who need to drive in relation to their job on a farm.
Resources on GDL
KAC Policy Brief - Graduated Drivers Licensing
Comparison Chart - a comparison of the current and proposed drivers licensing policy (prepared by Kansas Department of Transportation)
Take the Test - Johns Hopkins University recently completed an evaluation of graduated driver licensing policies. They concluded that the most comprehensive graduated driver licensing programs result in the greatest reduction of fatal crashes. Test your knowledge of what a proposed GDL policy would mean for Kansas.
