The 2023 fatal crash rate for teenagers aged 16 to 19 was nearly 3 times the rate for drivers over 20, according to federal statistics. A new state law (SB 994) aims to improve their safety. The legislation requires teens to get some additional training before getting a learner's permit.
Starting Aug. 1, teenagers ages 14 and a half to 17 must complete a six-hour classroom-based driver's education course before hitting the roads. Previously, teens were required to complete the four-hour Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course.
People aged 18 and older only need to complete the drug and alcohol course if they have never previously held a driver’s license from anywhere else. And teens moving to Florida with an out-of-state license are exempt from the new requirements.
Mike Fasano is the Pasco County Tax Collector. He said if students take the four-hour course before July 31, they can avoid the new class.
"If they took the four-hour drug and alcohol course, and before Aug. 1, they're in like Flynn," Fasano said. "But if they took it as of August the first, and after August the first, that drug and alcohol course means nothing."
Another difference is that the shorter course lacked live instruction, allowing learners to progress at their own pace. However, Fasano said the new course must be taken with a live instructor, either online or in person.
Confusion on the horizon
But Fasano said he's concerned because the state has not provided much information to share with teens and parents about how to take the new class. He said he is hopeful that some schools and approved third-party vendors will offer it.
But come next month, he anticipates the new requirements will cause a lot of headaches.
“We expect some very unhappy parents and some very disappointed students when they come in after Aug. 1, and we’re gonna ask them, the first question, ‘Did you take the drug and alcohol course?'" he said. "Well, it doesn’t count any longer. Now you have to take the six-hour in-class educational course.”
The state's website did not have the new course requirements or information as of Tuesday, July 22.
What else is needed for your permit?
The state's other requirements to obtain a learner's permit will stay the same:
- Students must be at least 15 years old.
- If under 18, they'll need a signed/notarized Parental Consent Form.
- Pass a vision and hearing test; find a testing location at a service center.
- Pass Class E Knowledge Exam from the Official Florida Driver License Handbook.
- The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions about traffic laws and traffic signs. The passing score is 80%.
- Must provide documents needed to establish proof of identity, social security number, and proof of address.
State Sen. Jay Collins (R-Hillsborough) introduced the legislation. Original language in the bill said the effective date was July 1, but the state delayed it by a month because of confusion about implementing the course.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.