Graduated Licensing is the process which new drivers involve in gaining the required driving experience before they can obtain full driving freedom. In most States of America graduated licensing program involve three phases that every young driver must go through and pass all the tests. Graduated licensing programs grant privileges to young drivers in phases to enable them acquire all the necessary skills and knowledge for safe driving.
With graduated licensing programs, all new drivers are required to finish the three phases before obtaining the standard license. These phases include: Learner phase, immediate phase and Full privilege phase. In the learner stage, new drivers are supervised throughout the driving. They are cumulated with driving tests. New drivers receive the learner's permit, and they must practice driving under the supervision of a licensed driver who must be above 21 years (U.S.Department of Transportation 5). In the immediate stage, unsupervised driving is limited in situations that involve high risks. New drivers are allowed to drive but under some conditions. These conditions include not driving at night, not to carry teen passengers, and not being drunk, plus other more (U.S.Department of Transportation 5). Completing this phase allows drivers to obtain a standard license. In order to receive a complete driving license, one must pass all the tests. New drivers can only apply for standard license after practicing the immediate phase for at least twenty-four months of safe driving. During these years, new drivers must not have experienced any at-fault crashes. Getting the full license may also take 18 months if the new drivers undertook ICBC (an approved driver training course) in the learner's stage and they proved to be safe drivers (U.S.Department of Transportation 5).
The law requires that one must attain at least the age of 16 years before obtaining a graduated driving license.
