NCJ Number
68369
Date Published
1980
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF THE 50 STATES THAT ALLOW JUVENILES TO OPERATE MOTOR VEHICLES CHARTED, AND SOURCES FOR RELEVANT INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED.
Abstract
AREAS OF PRIMARY CONCERN IN COLLECTING INFORMATION FOR THE REPORT INCLUDED THE COURT OF JURISDICTION AND PENALTIES ASSESSED WHEN A JUVENILE WITH A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE COMMITS A TRAFFIC OFFENSE. THE JUDICIAL TREATMENT OF JUVENILES IS COMPARED WITH THAT OF ADULTS. A SECOND AREA OF CONCERN WAS INFORMATION ON THE REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRACTIONS ON A JUVENILE'S ABILITY TO GET A LEARNER'S PERMIT FOLLOWED BY A DRIVER'S LICENSE. THIS INFORMATION IS THEN CHARTED TO ALLOW FOR COMPARISONS ACROSS STATES. IN THE CHARTS, EACH STATE'S GENERAL APPROACH TO JUVENILES' USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES IS DESCRIBED, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THOSE POLICIES GOVERNING JUVENILE DRIVER EDUCATION, LICENSING, AND TRAFFIC-RELATED OFFENSES. A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE CHARTS DEFINES TERMS, IDENTIFIES SOURCES OF INFORMATION CONTACTED FOR COMPILATION OF THE CHARTS, AND PROVIDES TITLES OF OTHER SOURCES CONCERNED WITH JUVENILE DRIVING LAWS. A DISCUSSION COVERS THE PATTERNS JUVENILES FOLLOW IN THE UNITED STATES TO ACQUIRE ADULT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. OTHER DISCUSSIONS DEAL WITH DEBATES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE REGARDING JURISDICTION OVER JUVENILE TRAFFIC CASES, THE WAYS IN WHICH STATES ARE HANDLING THE CONTROVERSY, AND GENERAL TRENDS FOR LEARNER'S PERMITS AND DRIVER'S LICENSES ACROSS THE STATES. THE BULK OF THE REPORT IS CONTAINED IN THE CHARTS.