Committee adopts substitute limiting new teen drivers to one passenger during initial period

A legislative committee adopted the third substitute to House Bill 308, which limits newly licensed teen drivers to one passenger during the initial months of unsupervised driving and clarifies parental designation rules so parents without a current license can name an adult to supervise required practice hours.

Sponsor Representative Covert said the substitute aligns with national graduated-driver licensing best practices and that the change is intended to give new drivers time to develop safe driving habits. "My second sub clarifies that, to be in line with best practices across the nation of allowing one passenger in the vehicle with our new teen drivers," Covert said, adding that the substitute also fixes language allowing parents who do not hold a current license to designate another adult to help meet required practice hours.

Committee members asked whether the substitute would allow a nonrelated teen to ride with a new driver; the sponsor confirmed the change allows one passenger during the first six months and that the one passenger could be an unrelated teenager under the third substitute.

Testimony included industry and safety witnesses. Dave Kalas, representing the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMEC), urged retaining the existing law that allows family members but not non-family teen peers, and cited a 2012 camera-based national study his organization referenced to explain risk differences. Kalas told the committee that the study found the baseline rate of risky driving behavior for a new driver was about 5.7 percent with no passengers, rose to 13 percent with one teenage peer and to about 15.5 percent with two teenage peers. "With one peer, it went from 5 to 13 percent," Kalas said, describing the risk increase for peer passengers.

Sherry Maddell, representing Utah PTA, said the organization opposed the substitute in its current form. She cited research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and said allowing a non-family passenger increases fatal-crash risk. "Research ... showing that allowing just one passenger increases the risk of fatal crashes by 19 percent," Maddell said, and told the committee Utah PTA remained opposed.

Supporters of the third substitute emphasized the provision clarifying how parents who cannot drive can designate an adult to help student drivers accumulate required hours. Representative Matthews moved adoption of the third substitute and then moved that the committee pass the third-substitute House Bill 308 with a favorable recommendation. Both motions carried and the chair ruled that each passed unanimously.

Committee discussion and public testimony focused on the balance between safety research and parental flexibility for meeting required driving practice. The third substitute keeps a one-passenger limit during the early period while creating a path for parents who cannot directly supervise practice hours to designate another adult.