Arkansas Permit Restrictions
Finally got your Arkansas instruction permit? Great, now you can get behind the wheel and start driving, just don't forget that there there are certain Arkansas permit restrictions that you need to observe whenever you are driving. The learner's permit restrictions were designed in order to allow you to gain some driving experience in a relatively safe environment and to ensure that you have a chance to practice your driving skills before you take the driving skills test. Arkansas permit restrictions include supervised driving, cell phone and passenger restrictions and largely depend on your age. In addition to observing the regular drivers permit restrictions, teen drivers must also meet requirements of the Arkansas graduated license program that has its own set of restrictions and requirements.
You may be wondering why do you even need a learners permit with all these permit restrictions and why can't you just go ahead and apply for a full Arkansas drivers license right away? Why not take a few driving lessons with a driving instructor, pass the knowledge, vision and driving tests and be done with it?
The reason why it doesn't work this way is because we know that a number one risk factor for new drivers is lack of driving experience. You can learn the driving rules and safe driving practices by reading the Arkansas drivers handbook and you can learn the basics of operating a vehicle by taking a few lessons with a professional driving instructor, but there are things you cannot learn this way. Becoming a safe driver takes years of practice and there is no replacement for these hundreds of hours behind the wheel. During these hours, you learn how to apply the skills you may have picked up from the drivers license handbook and your teacher. You learn to correctly judge the stopping distances, to anticipate and predict situations that can potentially become dangerous. Experience is everything when it comes to driving and that is why you have to apply for an Arkansas learners permit before you can get a full drivers license.
Permit Restrictions - Over 18 Years of Age
If you are 18 years of age or older, the state trusts that you will approach the matter of traffic safety in a responsible way and that is why there are not that many permit restrictions that are placed onto your learners permit. The main condition of you holding a permit is that you cannot drive alone. Any time you want to go out for a drive, you must have a licensed driver 21 years old or older seated next to you. The other driver must be prepared to take control of the vehicle at any time and should steer you clear of any danger. Everyone present in the vehicle must wear a seat belt so to minimize the possible damages.
There is no minimum required amount of time that you must hold your learners permit for and you can take the Arkansas drivers test and get your unrestricted license at any time, however we advise that you spend as many hours as possible driving with a supervised driver. These first hours of driving are crucial for developing safe and mature driving habits, don't ignore this opportunity as it may save your life one day.
Permit Restrictions - Under 18 Years of Age
If you are under the age of 18, the licensing procedure that you need to follow is completely different from the one that applies to older drivers. Teenagers must observe the Arkansas graduated drivers license law and the law sets a number of additional permit restrictions and license requirements.
The minimum age for applying for a learners permit is 14. At this age, you can visit a drivers license testing center, take an Arkansas permit test and receive your instruction permit. The permit test covers the state driving laws, road signs and safe driving practices and if you want to see whether you are ready to take the exam, you may test yourself with a free Arkansas drivers permit practice test.
Once the have passed the exam and got your instruction permit, you may start driving, observing the following Arkansas permit restrictions at all times:
- No driving alone. You must be under the supervision of a licensed driver at all times. The supervising driver can be your parent/legal guardian or any other licensed driver at least 21 years of age, appointed by your parents.
- No cell phones. You cannot use a cell phone or any other communication device, neither hand-held, nor hands-free, while driving. If you need to make a phone call or send a text message, you have to stop before you do that.
- Seat belts for everyone. Everyone present in the vehicle must wear a seat belt.
You must hold an instruction permit for at least six months before you become eligible for taking a drivers license test. Although taking an Arkansas drivers education class is not mandatory, we suggest that you do so some time within this period. Drivers ed classes can teach you many handy safe driving techniques and you can also receive a discount from your car insurance.
If you receive a ticket for a moving violation or are involved in an at-fault traffic accident during the permit holding period, the holding period is restarted and you have to wait another six months before taking a drivers test. In some cases, your driving privilege may also be suspended or canceled.
Learners License Restrictions
If you satisfy all permit requirements and are between 14 and 16 years of age, you become eligible for an Arkansas learners license. The learners license holds the same restrictions as the learners permit:
- No driving alone. You must be under the supervision of a licensed driver at all times. The supervising driver can be your parent/legal guardian or any other licensed driver at least 21 years of age, appointed by your parents.
- No cell phones. You cannot use a cell phone or any other communication device, neither hand-held, nor hands-free, while driving. If you need to make a phone call or send a text message, you have to stop before you do that.
- Seat belts for everyone. Everyone present in the vehicle must wear a seat belt.
The only reason why you would want to apply for a learners license is because it allows you to meet the “restriction A” requirements sooner. The learners license may be upgraded to an intermediate drivers license on the driver's 16th birthday.
Intermediate License
An intermediate drivers license can be issued to those who have met the requirements of the learners permit and have passed the driver test. An intermediate drivers license allows unsupervised driving, provided the following restrictions are met:
- Curfew. You cannot drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. unless you are driving to or from a school activity, church-related activity, an employment activity or in case of an emergency.
- Passenger restrictions. No more than one passenger under the age of 18 is allowed to be present in the vehicle.
- Cell phones. The usage of cell phones is prohibited during this stage.
- Seat belts. Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seat belt.
The restrictions can be dismissed if there is a supervising driver 21 years of age or older seated next to the intermediate license holder.
In addition to the above restrictions, the driver must also have restriction A placed onto his/her drivers license for the first six months of driving, unless this requirement has already been met during the learners license stage.
An intermediate license must be held until the driver reaches the age of 18. The driver must demonstrate a clean driving record for 12 months preceding the application for a full class D license.
Restriction A
Restrictions A is placed onto drivers licenses issued to minors and it last for six months. The restriction requires an adult to be present in the car operated by the licensee. Unlike the requirement for a supervising driver, this restriction does not require an adult to be licensed or to be occupying a front seat of the vehicle. The idea behind restriction A is that presence of an adult in the car disciplines young drivers and discourages them from taking risks on the road.
