Michigan - Graduated Driver Licensing

Project Characteristics

Outstanding, collaborative effort

Program Areas

Youth Programs

Type of Jurisdiction

State

Targeted Population

Parents of driver education students

Jurisdiction Size

200,000

Funding

Section 402: $24,000
State: $24,875

Contact

Pat Carrow
Traffic Safety Coordinator
Office of Hwy Safety Planning
4000 Collins Rd.
PO Box 30633
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 333-5315

Digest Listing

MICHIGAN
Graduated Driver Licensing -
A Guide for Parents

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

A Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program for new drivers was enacted by the State of Michigan on April 1, 1997. The program called for increased parental involvement. A parent must accompany young drivers for a minimum of fifty hours, including at least ten hours of night driving. In order for a student to reach full driving privileges, there are three levels of licensure. The levels range from allowing teens to drive only with a licensed parent/guardian or other adult (over 21) designated by the parent to the level where there are not any state-imposed licensing restrictions.

During the first full year of implementation, informational materials were developed for the parents so they could fully understand their role and responsibilities in the GDL program. Several agencies and organizations were involved in developing the printed materials, as well as being responsible for distributing the materials.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of this project is to educate parents of driver education students in Michigan’s GDL system by developing a single piece of media that contains all the information parents need on Michigan’s GDL system. Incorporating all of the elements of the GDL process in one, concise booklet made it easier for the parent and student to gather information about any part of the GDL.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Strategies to achieve the goal will be to:

Conduct a mail survey for parents whose teens were issued a Level 1 Graduated Drivers License during September 1998 to determine if the initial information was adequate, timely, and easy to understand.
Organize a committee of traffic safety/driver education experts to assist in the development of a booklet about Michigan’s GDL system for parents of driver education students. Committee members represented the Office of Highway Safety Planning, the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan Department of State, the Michigan Traffic Safety Association, AAA Michigan, and the Michigan Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association.

RESULTS

A mail survey was conducted in September 1998 to determine if the initial information on Graduated Licensing was adequate, timely and understandable. The survey results indicated that parents had not received all the information they needed to be fully informed on Michigan’s GDL system. The survey produced the following conclusions:

Parents preferred that materials be mailed and not sent home with the student.
Parents wanted to receive information before students begin driver education classes.
Information on GDL should be condensed into one piece of material instead of numerous brochures.
Parents would like to see a one-page table or chart outlining the process for each level.

A 27-page booklet was developed that contains all the information that parents need to know about Michigan’s GDL system. The booklet contains the following topics:

What is Graduated Driver Licensing?
Getting Started in GDL
Beginning Driver Education-Segment 1
Preparing for the Level 1 Learner’s License
Your Teenage Has a Level 1 License: Now What?
Preparing for Segment 2 of Driver Education
Getting Ready for the Road Test
The Level 2 Intermediate License
The Final Stage – Gaining Full Driving Privileges at Level 3

The Michigan Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Education, sent booklets to every driver education student in all Michigan high schools. Driver education instructors were sent letters informing them of the initial survey results and encouraged them to hand out the booklets at parent orientation meetings. The guide can be found on the Michigan Department of State website at www.sos.state.mi.us.

NHTSA