Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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8 UCW JUNE 17-23, 2020 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 700 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28301 • Incredibly Fresh Flowers • Custom Silk Designs • Lovely Plants & Dish Gardens • Fabulous Showroom & Gi Shop • Conveniently Located Within Minutes of Fayetteville Hospitals & Funeral Homes Corporate Services: • Lobby & Office arrangements • Grand openings • Promotions Flowers Express What Words Cannot www.FloralArtsNC.com 910.822.0425 Celebrating 40 Years of Service Image via Wikimedia Commons via Denis Bourez Flower for June Honeysuckle LEGALLY SPEAKING As a parent, I remember the pit in my stomach as each of my children got old enough to get behind the wheel. Of course, I see the worst of what happens when people do not drive safely, but for all of us, there are so many worries and so much anxiety as our children learn how to drive. Will they drive safely? Will they be safe? What about the other crazy drivers on the road? How does this process work? North Carolina has a graduated licensing process that requires students who are at least 14 ½ years old and are pursuing a high school diploma or GED to enroll in an approved driver education course, which consists of 30 hours of classroom time and six hours of driving time, as well as an eye exam. Once completed, a student will receive a Driver's Education Certificate, which allows them to apply for a Level 1 permit. Under Level 1, a driver must be 15-17 years old, must drive only when supervised — between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. — for the first six months. The use of mobile devices is prohib- ited. Once these requirements are met, a Level 2 "limited provisional license" allows unsupervised driv- ing from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and to or from work. A driver must be 16-17 years old, have a limited learners permit for 12 months, have com- pleted and logged at least 60 hours of driving, have no convictions of moving violations or seat belt/ mobile phone infractions and pass an on-the-road driving test. Under the provisional license, there must be proof of liability insurance, no more than one passenger under 21 years old in the vehicle — un- less they are members of the same household as the driver — and use of mobile devices is prohibited. e final step is a Level 3, which is a full provisional license. It allows unsupervised driving at any time so long as the driver is 16-17 years old, had a provision license for at least six months, has no convictions similar to those listed in Level 2, has completed and logged at least 12 hours of driving and, again, use of mobile devices is prohibited. For more information on the gradu- ated licensing process, visit https:// www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/ driver-licenses/new-drivers/Pages/ graduated-licensing.aspx. Here are a few important things to do through this graduated li- censing process: 1) make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. See my article from Jan. 8. 2) Enforce and set the example on mobile devices. Some studies show teens whose parents drive distract- ed are two to four times as likely to drive distracted themselves. 3) Lay down the law — understand North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle requirements and follow them. Your teen will be safer for it. Teen driving poses risks by REBECCA BRITTON REBECCA BRITTON, Cofound- er of Britton Law.. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. How does North Carolina keep young drivers safe?