Is your teen old enough to learn how to drive? At Prime Time Driving School, we offer private driving lessons to ensure your child knows the rules of the road and safe driving tactics. We specialize in teenage applicants. Teens who train with us are safer drivers. Our training entails  Basic vehicle maneuvering, starting, steering, stopping, driving and risk, vision & perception, and Traffic laws & regulations. If someone needs more training before scheduling his/her road test or is nervous when behind a steering wheel, we can help. We will do a pre-road test evaluation and prepare you for the road test. New York State D.M.V. Certified Instructors.

Before you start your driving lessons, securing your N.Y.S learner’s permit is a pivotal step. This permit is a document and your gateway to becoming a safe and responsible driver. If you still need to get a learner’s permit, you can complete the MV-44 form below.

 Complete the MV-44 form. Please bring this form to your local DMV office, along with proof of identity and date of birth. You will have to take a vision test and a written permit test. You must correctly answer 14 of the 20 multiple-choice questions to pass the written test.

If you’re under 18, the Younger Driver Resources site is your comprehensive guide to navigating the complexities of the road and the New York State Graduated Driver License Law (GDL). It’s designed to support you and keep you informed every step of the way.

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for people ages 16-24.  Most of these crashes are caused directly or indirectly by driver inexperience.  Young and newly licensed drivers are much more likely to be involved in a crash than experienced drivers. 

To allow young drivers time to gain experience,  New York State requires people under 18 to progress through the State’s Graduated Driver License Law (GDL) phases.  The GDL allows drivers in this at-risk age group to gain experience and gradually display their safe driving ability.  It’s your responsibility as a young driver to learn and obey the rules of the GDL.  Use the menu to get started…safely.

For Junior Drivers with Permits

Your permit must be held invalid for at least six months to take the road test. You will be issued a Junior License (Class DJ or MJ) when you pass the road test. See “Regional Restrictions for a Junior License” in this chapter.
 
If you’re under 18 and hold a class DJ permit, completing 50 supervised driving practice hours is crucial. This practical experience is an essential requirement for your road test.

You must also have at least 15 hours of night driving. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must certify these hours by filling out the MV-262 form. The D.M.V. recommends permit holders get as much practice as possible before taking road tests. They should also have supervised practice driving in moderate to heavy traffic conditions.

The road test is the final step in getting your driver’s license. You’ll need to bring your photo learner’s permit, your 5-hour pre-licensing course completion certificate (MV-278) or your Student Certificate of Completion (MV-285), and a completed Certification of Supervised Driving (MV-262) to the license examiner if you are under 18 year old. A Department of Motor Vehicles examiner will administer the road test.  During the test, your ability to perform driving maneuvers and your knowledge of traffic laws, regulations, and safety practices will be evaluated. Could you make sure you have a scheduled appointment for the road test?
 
You must have a vehicle to drive during the road test. The vehicle must be registered, inspected, insured, equipped, and in good working order. This includes doors and seat belts. The passenger side seat belt must be available and clean for the examiner. If you drive to the road test site, you must also bring a supervising driver who is at least 21 and holds a license valid for the vehicle you will drive during the road test. Motorcycle applicants must bring a car or truck and a licensed driver to transport the license examiner during the test.
 
Alcohol and Other Drugs:

You have probably heard the facts before – driving while impaired or intoxicated is a serious traffic safety problem in the United States. In New York State, more than 40 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities involve impaired driving. But the facts and statistics do not tell the whole story. Behind the numbers are thousands of lives cut short, permanent or disabling injuries, and families devastated because someone drove while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

When you drink alcohol or take other drugs, safe driving is not possible. Not every impaired or intoxicated driver causes a traffic crash, but each one is dangerous, putting their lives and those they share the road with at risk. In addition to the immediate danger, driving under the influence can result in severe legal consequences, including fines, license suspension or revocation, and even imprisonment.

Young people who have less experience with alcohol or drugs and less experience with driving are at high risk. Drivers under age 21 are approximately 4 percent of the driving population, but 7 percent of the impaired drivers are involved in fatal crashes. This is one reason the driver license revocation penalties are more severe for young drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

Because driving “under the influence” is so dangerous, the penalties for alcohol or drug-related violations are tough, and enforcement is essential. The chances of apprehension and conviction are high, and New York State law strictly limits your ability to plea bargain when charged with an offense related to alcohol or drugs.

Zero Tolerance for Drivers Under Age 21:

The legal purchase and possession age for beverages containing alcohol in New York State is 21. Under the state’s “zero tolerance” law, it is a violation for a person under 21 to drive with any BAC that can be measured (.02 to .07). After a finding of a breach is determined at a DMV hearing, the driver’s license will be suspended for six months. The driver then must pay a $100 suspension termination fee and a $125 civil penalty to be re-licensed. For a second zero-tolerance violation, the driver’s license will be revoked for at least one year or until the driver reaches 21, whichever is longer.

Illegal Purchase Of Beverages Containing Alcohol

When you use a driver’s license or Non-Driver ID card as proof of age to illegally purchase beverages that contain alcohol, state law requires the suspension of your driver’s license or privilege to apply for a license.

Open Container Law

It is a traffic infraction for a driver or passenger in a motor vehicle on a public highway, street, or road to drink a beverage containing alcohol or to possess an open container containing an alcoholic beverage. It is also a traffic infraction for a driver or passenger in a motor vehicle on a public highway, street, or road to consume marijuana/cannabis. The penalty for a first conviction is a fine of up to $150, a mandatory surcharge, a crime victim assistance fee, and possible imprisonment of 15 days. Additional offenses within 18 months bring higher penalties. The law exempts passengers in vehicles like stretch limousines and other vehicles with a commerce certificate or permit issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation or the NYS Department of Transportation.

The Ignition Interlock Program and Leandra's Law

Courts must order all persons convicted of driving while intoxicated or aggravated driving while drunk or of a penal law offense for which an alcohol-related violation of any provision of section 1192 of the Vehicle & Traffic Law is an essential element to install and maintain an ignition interlock on any vehicle owned or operated by such driver for at least 12 months. (This device, purchased and installed at the expense of the motorist, is connected to a motor vehicle ignition system and measures the alcohol content of the driver’s breath.  The vehicle can only be started once the driver provides an acceptable sample breath. The court may waive the 12-month requirement if the defendant demonstrates that the interlock device was installed for at least six months unless the court orders the interlock device to be installed for a more extended time. The judge also must request an alcohol assessment for a repeat offender. If the evaluation indicates alcohol treatment is necessary, the judge may be required to order the completion of treatment as a condition of probation.

Drivers who commit these alcohol-related offenses with a child under 16 years old in the vehicle may be charged with a class E felony, punishable by up to four years in prison. (This is known as Leandra’s Law.)

The law also makes it a felony to drive drunk with a conditional license, which is a license that may be issued by the DMV when someone is convicted of an alcohol-related offense. Such a license may be used only for driving to and from essential destinations such as school, work, and medical appointments. The conditional driver’s license will be revoked if the motorist does not comply with the court terms or for a conviction for any traffic offense except parking, stopping, or standing.

A Few Important Reminders

  • If you kill or cause an injury to another person because of alcohol or other drug-related violation, you can be convicted of criminally negligent homicide, aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, or vehicular assault. These carry a fine of thousands of dollars and can have a maximum jail term of 25 years.
  • If you drive while your license is suspended or revoked, you face a mandatory fine of $200 to $1000 and a mandatory jail term or probation. If impaired or intoxicated when you are arrested, the maximum compulsory fine is $5,000, and the vehicle can be seized.
  • Liability insurance may not cover the cost of injuries and damage from a traffic crash. You could be sued for thousands of dollars and find it difficult and expensive to buy liability insurance for several years.
  • Besides fines and surcharges, you could also face costly legal fees.
  • You could have a criminal record, making it harder to get a job or move forward.
 5 Hour Pre-Licensing Class:
Before scheduling a road test, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) mandates that all applicants complete a 5-hour pre-licensing class unless having the MV285. It is imperative for applicants to possess the 5-hour pre-licensing class certificate (MV-278) at the time of their road test appointment; failure to do so will result in the inability to take the test. Additionally, applicants under 18 must also have the MV 262. This course serves as the primary formal opportunity for applicants to gain knowledge of essential road rules, safe driving principles, defensive driving skills, and other factors influencing driving safety.