Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury-related death for North Dakota teens. Young driver inexperience, coupled with immaturity, often results in risk-taking behaviors such as speeding, alcohol use, and not wearing a seat belt – all of which contribute to an increased death rate. In North Dakota, teen drivers age 14-19 account for 6% of all licensed drivers, but are behind the wheel in nearly 16% of all crashes.

Teen drivers were involved in nearly 16% of fatal crashes in North Dakota in 2022. And, over the past five years in North Dakota, 40 teens have died in vehicle crashes.

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)

• GDL is a three-stage approach to granting young drivers full license privileges. All states have some form of GDL laws in place, which has shown an overall crash reduction of 10-30% nationwide. The three stages of GDL are:
  • Permit phase - Driving under supervision of an experienced driver
  • Intermediate license - No longer needs supervision to drive, but subject to short-term restrictions, such as night driving or number of passengers
  • Unrestricted/full license
• North Dakota
  • GDL only applies to teens who obtain a permit at age 14
  • After permit, teens are issued an intermediate license until age 16
    • No driving between 9 p.m., or sunset (whichever is later) and 5 a.m.
  • North Dakota is one of only 5 states that does not have a limit on passengers during the intermediate phase of license

Steps To Be A Smarter Teen Driver from AAA Public Affairs on Vimeo.

Current North Dakota Policy:

• Learner's Permit
  • At least 14 years old.
  • The holding period is 6 to 12 months. For example, a driver that starts the process at age 15 years old and 6 months only holds the permit for 6 months. In contrast, a driver that starts the process at 14 years old will hold the permit for 12 months.
  • Driver education is required if under age 16.
  • Minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice.
  • Must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least age 18.
• Intermediate License
  • The holding period is up to 12 months (until teen reaches 16 years old). For example, a driver who receives their intermediate license at 15 holds it until they reach 16 years old. In contrast, a driver who receives their intermediate license at 15 years and 11 months will only hold it for 1 month.
  • Night driving restricted between 9 p.m. or sunset, whichever is later, and 5 a.m. for 6 months (with exceptions).
  • No policy on number of teen passengers.
  • No cell phone use.
  • No requirement to remain crash or conviction free.
• Standard License
  • Minimum age of 16.

• DriveitHOME - Helpful resources to help your teen become a more experienced and safe driver.
• Alive at 25 - Defensive Driving Course
• Impact Teen Drivers
• Glovebox Guide
• Rollover Simulator
• Teen Driving AAA
• Parent's Supervised Driving Program
• North Dakota Parent-Teen Driving Agreement
• Teen Testimonials
  • Brady's Story
  • Chelsy's Story
  • Madison's Story
  • Tyler's Story
• Driver Training Schools in ND
• Parents LEAD information
• AAA - Keys 2 Drive
• Centers for Disease Control
• National Injury Prevention - Think First