Governor signs legislation putting restrictions on teen drivers

Gov. Kenny Guinn signed a bill Friday that puts restrictions on new Nevada drivers until they are 18.

"Graduated driver's license laws have proven to be an effective way to educate teens on how to become responsible drivers," said AAA spokesman Michael Geeser. AAA Nevada was a vocal supporter of the bill which provides a stricter set of a standards teens must adhere to before

The law to take affect Oct. 1, requires teen drivers to have their permit for six months before getting their license and restricts the hours they can drive and who they can have in their cars.

Provisions include: The driver must keep a log book documenting their 50 hours of practice time behind the wheel - 10 of which must be night driving; teens driving with a permit must remain crash and conviction free of any drug or alcohol charges; no passengers under the age of 18 in a teen's car for the first three months unless it's immediate family; and they are prohibited from driving between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., unless its for school or work.

The law won't apply to licenses issued before the Oct. 1 date.

"These tougher provisions stress experience and safety," Geeser said. "These are two important aspects which all teen drivers should understand before getting behind the wheel."