Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Rep. Jill Koford is sponsoring HB308 to ease driving restrictions for minors.
- Students at West High School are divided on the proposed bill's impact.
- Some students argue restrictions prevent reckless driving; others support easing them.
SALT LAKE CITY — Current Utah law restricts newly licensed drivers under the age of 18 from driving anyone who is not an immediate family member for six months after they get their license, or until they turn 18.
However, there is a possibility that this law will change soon.
Rep. Jill Koford, R-Ogden, sponsored HB308, which would allow a newly licensed minor to drive up to one passenger (who does not have to be a relative) as soon as they get their license.
The bill was read in at the House Rules Committee and made public on Thursday, but it has not been scheduled for a committee hearing yet.
Students attending Salt Lake City's West High School weighed in on whether this bill would be a good thing for their classmates, themselves and Utah drivers as a whole.
Some students believe 16 is too early to be driving nonrelatives around
Joined by his younger brother and three friends for off-campus lunch at Alberto's, Charlie Livers, 18, told the Deseret News, "I think if it (the current driving restriction) was enforced, it would definitely be beneficial to not only just the drivers who are 16 years old but other people on the road."
He explained, "I know for a fact that people drive faster and more recklessly when they're in a car full of their friends."
Gus Pearson, 17, agreed that the current driving restrictions on 16-year-olds are warranted and necessary.
"It's definitely like, when you're driving with your friends, sometimes you wanna put on a show and drive more aggressively and get to your location quicker," Pearson said. He added that sometimes "a certain song comes on, and you floor it."
Livers' younger brother, Will Livers, 16, added, "I feel like nobody really follows the rule anyway."
Other students believe the amendment would be beneficial
Samuel Andrews, 17, and two of his friends believe that an amendment to the law would be beneficial. However, they believe the amendment is smart to cap friend passengers to one.
"If there are too many friends, it just gets chaotic, and then you start making mistakes," Andrews explained.
Tyler Bills, 16, agreed. "If it's multiple, I don't think it's all right, but if it's one friend, it's totally fine," he said, adding, "I wish this bill was passed earlier."
Commenting on the waiting period required to drive nonfamily members, Mateo Gargano, 17, said, "Six months is absurd; that's too long."
Gargano explained how feeling more comfortable behind the wheel has more to do with the time you spend practicing and less with who is in the car.
"You just need experience, that's all," he said. "It won't matter if you're with friends or not. That shouldn't compromise your driving."
However, Andrews believes that having some restriction on passengers does help young drivers. He said, "The six months kind of prepares you to learn how to drive and makes it a habit or easy to drive."
Andrews said driving in Utah was "scary" at first. "Lots of people honked at me the first day," he explained. "We started in Salt Lake and then drove around to the canyon or Murray."
"Just stay safe, because Utah drivers can be crazy sometimes," Andrews said.
