Among the laws out there for protecting young drivers are Graduated Drivers Licensing restrictions. These are rules within a state’s driver license laws that put special restrictions on younger drivers. What specific limits young drivers are subject to under these laws varies from state to state. Some of the GDL restrictions here in Indiana include:

  • A ban on young drivers using phones behind the wheel
  • Limits on when young drivers can be out on the roads
  • Temporary passenger restrictions for young drivers

Many things can impact how likely teens are to follow GDL restrictions. This includes how strongly their parents enforce them. How common is it for parents to enforce such rules here in the U.S.? Perhaps less common than might be expected, a recent survey suggests.

Of the parents polled in this survey:

  • 17 percent indicated that they sometimes don’t enforce GDL restrictions
  • 5 percent said that they never enforce such rules

This suggests that nearly a quarter of parents aren’t fully enforcing such laws when it comes to their young drivers. Why are some parents opting for such non-enforcement? The survey results point to some of the more common reasons being: parents feeling their kids won’t listen to what they have to say, parents not being aware of such rules and parents thinking such rules aren’t fair.

What type of GDL restrictions do parents tend to be least likely to enforce? The survey results suggest that cellphone-related restrictions hold the top spot.

How common do you think parent enforcement of GDL rules is here in Indiana?

While parents may not always feel this way, what they do and say can have very big impacts on their teen when it comes to important topics like safe driving. So, it can be critical for parents of teens to give careful thought to how they can best encourage their young drivers to act safely behind the wheel. What recommendations would you give to parents on how best to enforce safe driving rules, such as the rules coming from GDL restrictions, for teens?