Parents and grandparents of teens probably remember when a \u201cSweet 16\u201d birthday party came with driving privileges, and maybe even the keys to your own car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, 16 year old Texas driving restrictions allow teens to navigate behind the wheel but under specific rules<\/a>. Texas\u2019s Graduated Driver License program lays out these rules, which both parents and teens should keep in mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Texas’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) program<\/a> includes a structured licensing pathway for young drivers, featuring a Learner License phase and a Provisional License phase, before granting full driving privileges. A learner’s license (also called a Texas learner’s permit) allows a teen to drive as long as a licensed adult rides along. Those with a learner’s license gain valuable experience behind the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To receive a Texas learner’s permit, teens must be at least 15 and under 18. Under the Texas Graduated Driver License program, applicants aged 15\u201317 may apply for a learner’s license through Texas DPS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under Texas Transportation Code \u00a7521.204<\/a>, a learner license holder must be accompanied at all times by a licensed Texas driver who is at least 21 years of age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Section 545.424<\/a>, no cell phones are allowed, even if they are hands-free, unless it is an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next step is to obtain a Texas Provisional License. To get a provisional license, a teen driver has to be at least 16 years old. This graduated licensing requirement remains in place to emphasize the importance of behind-the-wheel practice hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At age 16, a teen driver with a Texas learner license<\/strong> can move up to a Texas provisional license<\/strong>. To get a Provisional license<\/a> in the Texas Graduated Driver License program, teens must be between the ages of 16 and 17. A teen must hold their learner license for at least six months before moving to Provisional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most Texas teens use their six-month Learner license to complete the practical or \u201cbehind the wheel\u201d part of driver education. This part is considered complete when the teen driver logs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, teens must take and pass a driving test. They also have to finish the Impact Texas Teen Driver (ITTD) program within 90 days of passing the driving test. The ITTD program equips teens to understand and avoid the dangers of distracted driving<\/a>. If you are a parent and want to understand 16 year old Texas driving restrictions, you must ensure your teen has the necessary driving experience to feel confident on local roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n *Disclaimer: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only. Reading this blog does not establish an attorney-client relationship. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To apply <\/strong>for a provisional license<\/strong>, 16 year old drivers and 17 year old drivers need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also need to show that you passed your driving test. Texas driving restrictions for 16 year olds are not something teen drivers should ignore. If you are a young driver and are involved in a serious accident where you are rear-ended<\/a>, T-boned<\/a>, or are hit head-on<\/a> while on the road, you have options. If you suffered serious injuries such as head trauma<\/a>, internal organ damage<\/a>, back and spinal cord injuries<\/a>, broken bones<\/a>, or burns<\/a>, contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve received your provisional license, you may think you are ready to hit the road. Not so fast: 16 year old Texas driving restrictions include specific rules that teen drivers must follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important for parents and teens to keep the teen driving curfew in Texas in mind. Provisional license drivers can\u2019t hold their phones to talk or text. They also can\u2019t use their phones with a Bluetooth headset or other hands-free device. The only time they can use their phone is in an emergency. Even then, it\u2019s best to pull over and park the car before dialing 911. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Texas, 16-year-olds with a provisional driver’s license (Phase Two of the Texas Graduated Driver License [GDL] program<\/a>) face certain passenger restrictions. For the first 12 months after obtaining a provisional license, the driver may not have more than one passenger under the age of 21 who is not a family member. This means a 16-year-old can drive one friend who is not related to them, but cannot drive multiple friends until this restriction is lifted.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n According to Section 521.204<\/a>, a teen in Texas can start driving alone at age 16, after holding a learner\u2019s permit (instruction permit) for at least six months and completing both the classroom and behind-the-wheel portions of a driver education course. At this point, they can apply for a provisional license, which allows them to drive without an adult, subject to curfews and passenger restrictions.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Yes, there is a curfew for 16-year-old drivers with a provisional license<\/a> in Texas. These drivers may not operate a motor vehicle between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless driving to or from work, a school-related activity, or in case of emergency. This curfew is in effect for the first 12 months after receiving the provisional license.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n Are you a young driver or a parent of one who was recently involved in a serious car wreck? Speak to an experienced Texas car accident lawyer today. The team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys<\/a> is here to help explain the personal injury claim process, your legal rights, and what the best path is for a young driver who was involved in a serious car crash in Dallas<\/a>, Denton<\/a>, or another North Texas community<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attorney Responsible:<\/strong> John \u201cTony\u201d Ross<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Es probable que los padres y abuelos de los adolescentes recuerden cuando una fiesta de cumplea\u00f1os de los \u201cSweet 16\u201d ven\u00eda acompa\u00f1ada de el privilegio de conducir, y tal vez incluso de las llaves de su propio auto. Hoy en d\u00eda, las restricciones de conducci\u00f3n para j\u00f3venes de 16 a\u00f1os permiten a los adolescentes manejar, pero bajo reglas espec\u00edficas. El programa de licencia de conducir gradual de Texas establece estas reglas, las cuales tanto\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[271,272,273,274],"class_list":["post-22428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-gdl","tag-graduated-driver-license-program","tag-teen-driver","tag-teen-driving"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22428"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22431,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22428\/revisions\/22431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chandlerrosslaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What Are The Texas Driving Restrictions for a 16 Year Old?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Can a 16 Year Old Driver Get a Texas Provisional License?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What TX Driving Restrictions Must 16 Year Olds Follow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n
Can a 16 year old drive friends around in Texas?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Can a teen drive alone in Texas?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Is there a curfew in Texas for 16 year old drivers?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ready To Talk to a Top-Rated Dallas Car Accident Attorney?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n