After about eight months of deliberation, a House committee is expected to vote Tuesday and approve a bill tightening restrictions on teenage drivers.
House Bill 204 would impose new restrictions on young motorists — concerning when and with whom they can drive. Except for certain school or work activities, drivers with a probationary license would not be allowed to drive without a parent between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Current state law has a similar, less stringent, restriction in place: 16-year-olds can’t drive without a parent between midnight and 6 a.m., with a similar curfew for 17-year-olds lasting from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
Opponents of the bill — which include some Ohio high school students — have said the bill would be an inconvenience to teenagers and their parents.
But according to a survey released by AAA-Ohio in October, 90 percent of canvassed parents support the bill’s time restriction.
Besides instituting the time limit, the bill would also tighten passenger limitations for teenage drivers.
Currently, state law prohibits 16-year-old motorists from driving with more than one non-family member passenger. House Bill 204 stipulates that passenger must be at least 21 and have a valid driver’s license and the stipulation applies to 16-year-old and 17-year-old drivers during first 12 months of having a probationary license.
Exceptions would be made if a parent or guardian is in the car or if the passengers are family members.
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