Teens have many driving restrictions imposed on them, and many of those restrictions are for good reason. For instance, did you know that teens in Colorado have a passenger limit? For the first six months of a teen’s license, there can be no passengers under the age of 21 in the vehicle unless an adult driver who is also licensed is in the car. The following six months allow for just one passenger under the age of 21. There are exceptions to know, though. For instance, if you are 17, just obtained your license and have a friend who is hurt, you can take your friend to the hospital even though you’re still within the six-month exclusion period. If you need to pick up siblings, they are also exceptions to the rule.
Teens under 18 are banned from using cellphones when behind the wheel, even when adults aren’t. The only exception to the rule is if there is an emergency and the teen needs to call 911, the police or the fire department.
When it comes to drunk driving, no one under the age of 21 should be in possession of or drinking alcohol behind the wheel. Alcohol-related crashes lead to approximately eight deaths for people under the age of 21 per day, and Colorado has a zero-tolerance law. Even trace amounts of alcohol in the blood can be punished by law.
Knowing these laws can help keep your teenage child out of trouble with the law. If your child is stopped for driving under the influence under age or any other violation, it’s important to immediately look into your legal options moving forward.
Source: Colorado Department of Transportation, “Teen Driving Restrictions,” accessed Jan. 12, 2017