Texas Learners Permit Restrictions - TX Driving Permit Rules

Texas Learners Permit Restrictions - TX Driving Permit Rules

Obtaining your Texas drivers permit is no doubt an exciting event - you can now legally get behind the wheel and go for a drive. You may be excited now but don't let that excitement get the better of you and let you forget there there are certain Texas driving permit rules that you have to observe. The Texas Department of Public Safety takes the learners permit restrictions very seriously and you will lose your driving privileges if you fail to observe them.

Why Do We Need The Drivers Permit Rules?

There is only one answer to this questions and that is safety. Safety of those who just got behind the wheel and safety of others they share the road with. Newly licensed drivers don't have any driving experience, so they are frequently unable to react to the ever changing traffic condition as a regular driver would. This is where the Texas permit license rules come in. The restrictions are designed to keep you out of trouble and to allow for the gradual development of safe driving habits.

Texas Permit Restrictions Enforcement

In Texas, all driving permit rules and restrictions are handled by the Department of Public Safety. The Department regulates the whole licensing procedure and you can usually get an update on the current rules from the DPS driver handbook that is provided free of charge.

The restrictions are enforced by the police department. You are are caught breaking the permit rules, your matter will be forwarded to the courthouse and your driving privilege may be suspended.

Age Depended Learners Permit Restrictions in Texas

Statistically, drivers who are younger than 18 are more than twice as likely to be involved in a traffic collision than an average driver. This is why there are more restrictions for those who choose to obtain a drivers license or learners permit before they turn 18.

If you are 18 years old or older, the following restrictions will apply to your Texas learners permit:

• Supervised driving only. You cannot operate a vehicle unless there is another licensed driver seated next to you. The driver must be at least 21 years old, have a valid Texas drivers license and have at least 1 year of driving experience. There is no minimum amount of time that you have to hold your permit for before you can go for the drivers license test.

If you are under 18 years of age, than you are subject to the Texas graduated license law and the following restrictions will apply to you:

• Supervised driving only while driving with a learners permit. The supervising driving must be your parent or legal guardian with a valid Texas drivers license. The permit must be held for at least 6 months before you can apply for your provisional drivers license.

The provision drivers license allows you to drive unsupervised, but still has the following restrictions:

• You cannot carry more than one passenger in the vehicle while driving without a supervising driver.
• Curfew. No night-time driving is allowed, you should not be on the road between midnight and 5 a.m. (exceptions can be made if you are driving to school or employment related activity and for medical emergencies).
• The provisional drivers license must be held for at least 6 months before these restrictions can be lifted.

Applying for Texas Drivers Permit

If you don't have your permit yet, you should definitely go ahead and apply for it as soon as possible. The DPS will require you to prove that you know the rules of the road by taking the Texas drivers permit test. You may wish to take some practice exams before you go in for the real thing.

At the moment, all license applicants who are under 26 years of age have to complete one of the Texas drivers education courses. Students who are 18 to 26 have to take a short 6 hour adult drivers ed class, while younger drivers may choose from one of the convenient parent taught drivers education courses.