Kentucky ready to start scheduling 15 year olds for driver's permits

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reprogramming its license system after a new state law will allow for 15 year olds to acquire a driver's permit.

Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 15 into law last week, lowering the minimum age requirement from 16 to 15.

While the measure lowers the age requirement for a driver's permit, it doesn't change the requirements for obtaining a full driver's license. The law stipulates that young drivers will still need to pass a written test, a vision test and complete a log for driving hours.

"It's a bigger undertaking than it might seem," Beshear said during a press conference last week. "We might think, with some of today's technology, that you can just check a box or change a number, it's actually reprogramming a whole system."

KYTC is now making system upgrades so a credential can be issued allowing eligible applicants to take the written permit test. According to a news release, applicants can start making appointments with Kentucky State Police starting April 2 by clicking here.

If the system updates launch Wednesday as planned, it will likely be a several-week wait for written permit test appointments as they are limited. If you don't get an appointment, leaders said to try again the next day. The system opens with new appointments at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.

People are encouraged to begin studying for the written permit test. The official driver's manual can be found by clicking here. Applicants should have all required documents like a birth certificate, Social Security card and School Compliance Verification Form in order to take the permit test. A full list of requirements can be found by clicking here.

"We want everybody to be careful, and it does not move up when you can get your actual license, it gives you a longer period of time to practice," Beshear said previously.

Lawmakers believe the change will increase training time and ease the burden of transportation. But it's also raising some concerns about safety in a state that already sees thousands of crashes involving teens each year.

According to state data, Kentucky roads have seen more than 47,000 crashes involving teen drivers in the last three years alone. At least 13,00 people were hurt in those crashes, and more than 200 were killed.

"If you have a teenager in your family, it's really important to talk to them about the dangers of speeding, of not buckling up, of being distracted," said Lynda Lambert, spokesperson for AAA East Central. "It only takes a second, and lives are changed forever."

With summer break on the horizon, AAA said the safety risks only increase.

"They're behind the wheel a lot more often than they are during the school year, and the incidences of crashing involving teen drivers goes up tremendously during those summer months," Lambert said.

To learn more about the state's graduated driver licensing program and requirements to move from permit to intermediate license to full, click here.

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