Passenger Limits Under Teen Driver Law

In December 2011, a new teen driver law took effect in Pennsylvania with little fanfare. Teen Driver Safety Week is running from October 14th thru October 20th and it is a good time to revisit a key component of the Teen Driver Law. For the first six months after receiving a junior driver's license, a driver is not permitted to have more than one non-family member passenger under the age of 18 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. After six months, if a driver has not been involved in a crash or convicted of a driving violation, they can have up to three non-family member passengers under the age of 18.

This new restriction on the number of passengers is supported by research suggesting a link between the number of passengers and risky behavior by teen drivers. Research has shown that as the number of passengers increases, the likelihood of speeding and alcohol use also increases. The research also showed that potentially distracting loud conversation and horseplay were substantially more common with multiple teenage passengers in a vehicle. In addition to changes in the law, parents are urged to set and enforce rules that limit newly licensed drivers from driving with young passengers. Help reduce the risk of serious or even fatal auto accidents by following the law and limiting the number of passsengers riding with teen drivers.