According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for every one mile driven, teenagers are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than adults,
The passage of Kentucky House Bill 15 in March lowered the age at which children can obtain a learner’s permit from 16 to 15. Notably, in the state with the most teen driving deaths in the nation, an overwhelming majority of legislators supported this change. While the policies within the bill do not explicitly increase supervised driving requirements, the condition that drivers must be at least 16 and hold a permit for 180 days before obtaining an intermediate license indirectly extends the period of supervised driving.
After learning that Kentucky led the nation in teen driving deaths for the fourth year running, senior Samuel Nuñez said he was surprised at the timing of House Bill 15.
“This feels like a step in the wrong direction.”
Interestingly, only seven states still have a minimum driving age of 16 — and they are all in New From this angle, it’s easy to understand why we saw this change. For example, nearby states like Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia have looser restrictions that align with the rest of the country
It’s no secret that teens are at higher risk on the roads. According to the CDC, some reasons include speeding, distracted driving, not wearing seat belts, and the number of other teens in the car. These factors contributed to the 47,000+ crashes involving teen drivers from 2021 to 2024 in Kentucky, as reported by WKYT.
These risks are elevated in Kentucky by a high proportion of rural roadways — 81% of all public roads, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. On these routes, a disproportionate amount of fatal crashes occur, and this new law will only increase the time that inexperienced drivers spend on dangerous roads.
“With the rural roads, spatial awareness is essential. In a time of cellphones, most kids don’t pay attention when their parents are driving to see how they handle the situation,” AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Sharessa Crovo said.
“Growing up as distracted passengers limits essential learning and this affects [teens] when they begin to drive themselves,” she said.
While watching others drive is beneficial, extra practice may also have benefits.
The Kentucky State Police reports that fatal crashes tend to rise during the winter months. Under the previous policy, many new drivers could earn their intermediate license without ever practicing in such conditions. With the new law, more teens will be able to gain experience driving through the winter weather, a change that may reduce the number of accidents during this time of year.
“It’s got its pros and cons if used correctly . It all comes down to the right resources and conversations. I most definitely needs to have stricter laws or policy. After all they are youth and expecting them to follow rules with a motor vehicle is risky,” School Police Officer Lisa Hack
Aside from Kentucky’s Graduate Drivers License Program, the state has introduced other initiatives to address teen driving risks and to encourage responsible driving. The Safe Teen Driving Challenge uses a smartphone app to track behaviors such as speeding, phone use, and sudden braking to reward safe habits with cash prizes. In addition to these incentives, the Checkpoints Program helps parents and teens establish written driving agreements that set clear limits and expectations, promoting accountability and safer decision-making behind the wheel.
It’s clear Kentucky has a serious problem. Will following the footsteps of other states prove to be beneficial?While HB 15 could give young motorists valuable experience, it also risks putting more reckless drivers on the roads.
For more information on HB 15, visit the Kentucky General Assembly.
