An Arizona lawmaker wants to change the age a teen can receive their learner’s permit. Republican Rep. Nick Kupper of Surprise has filed draft legislation that would lower the age by six months, to 15 years old.
But there is a catch: Kupper's bill requires practicing with adult supervision for at least nine months. That’s three months longer than is currently required before being eligible to apply for a driver's license.
"Thirty-four states allow kids to get their permits earlier than Arizona does. And those 34 states tend to have lower fatalities per vehicle mile traveled for teens than we do," he said.
Kupper says the data shows that lowering the age could lead to fewer teen crashes because it gives them an entire year of supervised driving practice. Some critics dispute that, saying the quality varies from family to family.
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