Lack of driving experience is one of the major risk factors when it comes to driving. New drivers simply don't have the skills required to recognize a situation that can potentially lead to a traffic accident. This the reason why the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) sets a number of restrictions that apply to all Ohio temporary instruction permit holders, commonly known as Ohio learners permit restrictions. If you receive your temporary permit before you turn 18, you will also need to observe additional rules that are part of the graduated drivers license program. Make sure you know what Ohio temporary permit restrictions apply to you and follow them whenever you are behind the wheel, failure to observe these rules may result in your driving privileges being suspended or revoked.
Why Do We Need Permit Restrictions
The answer to this question is very simple - we need learners permit restrictions to ensure that new drivers don't hurt themselves and other drivers around them during their first years behind the wheel. Drivers who recently received their first drivers license tend to overestimate their driving skills and that's where the BMV steps in with the permit restrictions. The limitations that come with the Ohio temporary learners permit ensure that you receive some driving experience while being supervised by a more experienced driver who can take control of the vehicle and steer you clear of danger.
Most of the people deem these Ohio temporary permit restrictions to be unnecessary, pointless and annoying. We understand that they may be somewhat inconvenient, however these restrictions are based on many studies conducted nationwide and they were shown to save lives. Permit restrictions just prevent you from doing things that are known to cause accidents. Once you gain some driving experience, the restrictions will be lifted from your permit.
Ohio Age Dependent Permit Restrictions
Teenagers have the highest crash rates among all age groups. In order to address this problem, the BMV has developed the Ohio graduated drivers license system that governs the licensing procedure for everyone who applies for an Ohio drivers license before they turn 18. If you would like to know more about the graduated license laws, you may refer to the Ohio temporary permit book which is published and distributed by the state. The graduated license restrictions apply only to drivers who are under 18 years of age, if you are over 18 years old, you don't need to observe them.
Ohio Temporary Instruction Permit Restrictions - Over 18
Once you pass your Ohio permit test and receive your temporary permit, you can start driving and practicing for your road skills test, however you have to observe the following Ohio permit restrictions:
- Supervised driving only. In order to ensure your safety, you must have another driver who is at least 21 years old seated next to you whenever you operate a vehicle. You cannot drive alone.
- Passenger restrictions. The number of the passengers you can carry at this point is limited by the number of seat belts in the vehicle.
- Seat belts. Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seatbelts when a vehicle is operated by a permit holder.
The restrictions will be lifted once you pass your driving test and receive your full Ohio drivers license.
Ohio Learners Permit Restrictions - Under 18
If you apply for a temporary permit before you turn 18, you will have to abide to the graduated license requirements. The following Ohio graduated drivers license restrictions apply to you:
- Supervised driving only. If you are under 16 years of age, you must be supervised by a licensed parent. If you are 16 and older, the supervisor can be any licensed driver 21 years old or older.
- Passenger restrictions. Permit holders who are younger than 16 can only have one passenger who is not an immediate family member present in the vehicle. The total number of passengers is also limited by the number of seat belts available.
- Curfew. For students who are under 17 years of age, the curfew covers the period between midnight and 6 a.m. For permit holders who are 17 to 18, the curfew hours are between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. During this time, the supervising driver must be your parent, no one else can fill in.
These Ohio temps restrictions must be observed for six months after receiving a drivers permit. During this period, you must complete an Ohio drivers education class and at least 50 hours of supervised driving with your parents.
You may consider signing up and starting your drivers ed even before you apply for a permit. Drivers ed classes can be of great help when it comes to preparing for the permit test, some of them also contain practice permit test Ohio sample questions that will allow you to see how well you are prepared. This is not the only quiz that we offer, make sure to follow up with this free Ohio BMV practice test and the Ohio driving practice test.
Ohio Junior License Restrictions
If you pass your Ohio driving test before you turn 18, you are granted a junior license that allows unsupervised driving for most of the time, but still comes with a curfew. The curfew will be removed only when you reach the age of 18.
