Despite the differences in the fifty states across the United States, the driving laws from the east coast to the west coast stretching from Canada to Mexico are very similar. In 2005, all fifty states and Washington D.C. were universal in their laws concerning child safety seats and enforcing 21 as the drinking age.
In each of the fifty states, teenagers are required by law to earn and hold a driver's permit for 30 days to six months before they are let loose on the road behind the wheel of a car alone. Most states also require practice driving with a parent, guardian or other adult who carries a legal driver's license. For example, California and Nevada require at least fifty hours of driving with at least ten of those at night.
In order to keep teenagers from being involved in careless accidents that could have been avoided, some states are installing stricter laws. As of April 2005, forty-one states had new laws in affect which prohibited teenage drivers from driving during higher risk hours like overnight and early morning. Some states, like Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia raised the legal driving age to 18 instead of 16, while other states raised the legal age to 17 or 16 and nine months, 16 and six months or 17 and one month.
California and Nevada have even gone as far to pass legislature for a graduated licensing program for teen drivers under which they are not allowed to carry other teens in their vehicle for the first six months unless with a licensed driver at least 25 years old. Teens in those states can not drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. for at least one year, unless accompanied by a legal driver who is at least 25.
Speed limits, which were nationally set at 55 miles per hour in 1974, are now set by each state after being modified in 1987 to allow 65 miles per hour on rural freeways and repealed completely in 1995. A majority of states also have a device called an alcohol ignition interlock device which prevents drivers from starting the car if anything shows up on a breath alcohol content test.
In many states, a person's license may be taken from them and forfeited if they break too many driving laws, such as too many citations or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol too many times. Many U.S. states also make seat belts mandatory, at least in the front seat of a vehicle. Alaska, California, Delaware, DC, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, Vermont and Wyoming required all passengers to be buckled up as of 2005.
Although some do not, the majority of states require anyone driving a motorcycle to wear a helmet. Riders in Alabama have to wear a helmet every time they get on a motorcycle, but in states like Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, and Texas, among others, the person driving the bike can make their own decision based upon their age. For example, in Texas those with motorcycles may finish a training and safety course and not wear a helmet if they have proper insurance. In other states, helmets must be worn by those with their learning permits or first-year riders.
