Getting your license is a significant event in your life. It provides you with large benefits some of which are independence for transportation, a skill to show off to an employer, or perhaps a new privilege of responsibility to show off to your friends. But your license is also a power. It grants you the ability to lug around an at least 4,000 lb piece of metal at high speeds. So remember that with great power comes great responsibility.

If you want to keep your power, you must be responsible and follow the rules. Since we’re in high school, many of us either have or will have our license before the age of 18. This means most of us will be carrying a “graduated license.” A graduated license puts certain and simple restrictions on how and when we can drive. You cannot drive between the hours of 1am and 5am., have passengers with you under 20 years of age in the first 6 months, or have more than 3 passengers under 20 years of age for the remaining months or until you turn 18. These limits have not only been put in place for your safety and protection, but for others as well.

Rocky Mountain Insurance has reported that “Sixty-six percent of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2016 were deaths of passenger vehicle occupants.” So follow what is recommended by the GDL, it’s specifically targeting issues like this.

Remember the GDL is only for drivers 18 and under,  which means only 3 years at most with these “restrictions.” Afterwards, it’s the rest of your life with full access to the rest of your power.