The New Year brings new rules for teenage drivers in Pennsylvania. This year teenagers in the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere in the state will have to meet new requirements to gain their driver's permit and junior license. The new teenage driving rules touch upon passenger, seat belt and driving hour requirements, and the new rules are designed to prevent distraction, provide greater driving experience and prevent car accidents. In this post, we will briefly go over the new rules.

Teenagers looking to gain their learner's permit will have to meet new driving hour requirements that include additional hours and a greater range of experience. Teens in Pennsylvania are now required to have a total of 65 hours of supervised driving. The previous requirement was 50 hours. In addition to the greater number of hours, Pennsylvania teens will also have to complete five of the 65 supervised, driving hours at night and five of the supervised, driving hours during inclement weather. Inclement weather is defined as fog, rain, snow or any condition that inhibits visibility.

To reduce potential distraction, teenage drivers who hold a junior license will be subject to new passenger rules. Starting this year, any driver under the age of 18 in Pennsylvania cannot have more than one passenger under the age of 18. Teen drivers are allowed to have additional passengers if the passengers are family members or if a parent is in the vehicle.

After six months of safe driving without a citation or an accident, teen drivers are allowed to have up to three passengers under the age of 18 under the new rule. If a teen driver receives a citation or gets into an accident after the first six months, the passenger rule is reinstated.

Finally, teen drivers under the age of 18 are subject to a new seat belt law. The new law classifies the citation of not wearing a seat belt as a primary violation. A primary violation means a police officer can pull a person over for specifically not wearing a seat belt. The new seat belt law applies to all drivers and passengers under the age of 18. Teen drivers and passengers who overlook the new seat belt rule will face a $110.50 fine.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the new rules will help keep teenage drivers and passengers safer in 2012 and beyond.

Source: pennlive.com, "New year means new rules for teen drivers," Chris Mautner, Jan. 2, 2012