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Abstract

In the United States, each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia has a different licensing system for passenger vehicle operation. There is substantial variation, but in general, easy licensing is allowed at an early age. The typical licensing age is 16, although the minimum age for a regular license varies from 14 to 17: One state (South Dakota) licenses at age 14, six states at age 15, 42 states and the District of Columbia at age 16, and one state (New Jersey) at age 17. Countries such as Canada and Australia also generally license at age 16, whereas most European countries withhold passenger vehicle licensure until age 17, or more typically, age 18 (Laberge-Nadeau, Maag, and Bourbeau, 1992). European countries also differ from the United States in that licenses are relatively expensive, and licensing exams more difficult.

Presented at the International Colloquium on Automobile Insurance: Road Safety, New Drivers, Risks, Insurance Fraud and Regulation, HEC-Montreal, 1997.

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Williams, A.F. (1999). Licensing Policies For Young Drivers In The United States. In: Dionne, G., Laberge-Nadeau, C. (eds) Automobile Insurance: Road Safety, New Drivers, Risks, Insurance Fraud and Regulation. Huebner International Series on Risk, Insurance, and Economic Security, vol 20. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4058-8_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4058-8_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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