COLUMBUS – A bill in Ohio’s Legislature requiring teenage drivers under 18 years old to use their learner’s permits for a full year would mean minors would have to be at least 16½ before they could get their probationary driver’s license.
The Dayton Daily News reports the bill aims to give young drivers more experience behind the wheel before they can get a probationary license. Ohioans now can get a permit at 15 years and six months old and a probationary license as early as 16 years old. The bill lengthens minors’ permit phase from 6 months to 12 months.
The newspaper says Ohio Department of Transportation data found drivers ages 15 to 19 make up about 5% of Ohio’s driving population and are involved in about 15% of all accidents.