This New Year will bring about new laws especially for teenagers in Arizona.  The Arizona SB 1080 which is a law that prohibits the use of cellphones while driving for the first six months after receiving their license, or until they reach the age of 18 will take effect in July.  It will also apply to those driving using a learner’s permit.

In April of 2017, the Bipartisan bill was signed in to law at a time when Gov. Doug Ducey had said he was in favor of any law that banned texting while driving for minors. Other supporters of the law said that it would ensure teen drivers have no distractions while driving, hence reducing the number of accidents.

The bill continues to say that, a Class G licensed driver will only be allowed to carry one passenger, unless they are the driver’s siblings or the driver is accompanied by their parent. This exception was allowed for families that want teens to handle driving responsibilities. Any violators will be punished with fines and additional restrictions.

In yet another change concerning instructional permits, the age limit for any front-seat passengers will be 21 years. This was applauded by a Tucson Police Sargent, David Brotherton, who said it was a good idea, and that most other cities have seen a decrease in road accidents after implementing the law.

Some teens were however not pleased with the new law, saying that it cramped on their style.  They asked, “What is the use of a license if you can’t carry your friends?”  While other lawmakers who did not sign the bill stated that it intruded on parents’ rights.

A research conducted on 43 states by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health showed that; the states that implemented laws governing driving, reduced the number of crashes involving teenagers from 16% to 21%.