2007 brings new teen driving law
By Diana Royal Staff Writer

With the new year comes a new law for Georgia teens - one that could save their lives but might weigh heavily on their parents' pocketbooks.

Joshua's Law went into effect on Monday, and with its passage, no drivers under the age of 17 can obtain a Class D driver's license without first completing a driver education course.

The new law requires teens to complete a Department of Driver Services (DDS) approved driver education course, which provides 30 hours of classroom instruction (or virtual instruction) and six hours of driving instruction. Additionally, they will also be required to complete an extra 40 hours of supervised driving,

While some of their teens can take the required course at school, others will have to do so after school or on the weekends, at a cost of around $300.

According to Molly Banks, information director for Burke County which can be provided by a parent or guardian, including at least six hours at night. in history Some Burke County parents think TADRA (The Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act) is a wonderful idea as a whole but are not so sure about Joshua's Law.

Schools, the high school currently offers driver's ed. at no cost to students, with four classes being offered each semester. "We are able to serve around eighty students each year," Banks said. There are roughly 200 students each year who need the course, and even though the school's changing schedule will allow for more classes next fall, not everyone will be accommodated. Banks also said the school board will be looking into offering the course during summer school.

One BCHS student said he thinks Joshua's Law is both good and bad. "It will probably cause people to have to wait to get their licenses," sophomore Shane Tobias said, "but when they do, they will have a better education about driving."

Jeanie Blackburn isn't concerned about her daughter's ability to drive, she's concerned about the timeframe they have to find an education course.

Her daughter, Jan, a sophomore at Edmund Burke Academy, will turn 16 in February and fears she may have to wait well past her birthday to get her driver's license if she cannot get enrolled in a class.

"Jan is a very good driver," Blackburn said, adding that living in a rural area has given her lots of practice. "(Joshua's Law) is a great idea for kids in bigger areas, but the kids around here have a lot of practice driving." Blackburn also said she wishes she'd had more notice considering Jan's early birthday. "We were very careful to make sure she got her learner's when she needed to," Blackburn said. "Now this could penalize her."

EBA Headmaster Brent Cribb said he hopes to make driver education classes available to his students next year. "This will be a budget issue and will need the board's approval," Cribb said, adding that the school would probably only offer the classroom portion of the course to avoid liability issues. He also said he planned to discuss the situation with other headmasters at an upcoming meeting to get an idea of how other private schools will handle the matter.

A list of approved driver education courses is available at www.dds.ga.gov, as is further information concerning Joshua's Law.

TADRA was enacted in 1997 to help reduce the number of fatal vehicle crashes involving young drivers.

According to the Georgia DDS website, young, inexperienced drivers, ages 16 -24, have a higher rate of crashes, injuries and fatalities than drivers over 24.

In 2000, one in five fatal crashes in Georgia involved speed, and 16- to 17-year-old drivers had the highest rate of motor vehicle fatalities (based on the total number of drivers per age group).

Laws already in effect under TADRA

for newly issued Class D licenses: + No driving between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. (no exceptions)  In the first six months, a driver shall not drive with any other passenger in the vehicle who is not a member of the driver's immediate family.  During the second six months, any Class D license holder cannot drive when more than one other passenger in the vehicle (who is not a member of the driver's immediate family) is less than 21 years of age.  After the second six-month period, drivers should have no more than three other non-family passengers under 21.  A driver must have a learner's permit for one year and one day before he or she can be issued a Class D license.

Joshua's Law states that anyone who turns 16 after Jan. 1, 2007 will be

required to take a driver education course plus additional supervised

driving. If an education course is not completed, drivers will have to

wait until the age of 17 before being eligible for a Class D driver's

license and will still be required to complete 40 hours of supervised

driving, with six being at night.