As a young driver in Utah, I want to enjoy time with my friends. I want to share rides to school activities, practices, and other events. However, the current law prevents us from doing so for the first six months after obtaining our licenses. The inconvenience this law causes is felt by young drivers across the state every day.

There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon, in the form of a proposed bill - H.B. 351, which seeks to permit new drivers to drive with at least one friend in the car. This change would make a big difference to the lives of young people like myself, promoting camaraderie and simplifying logistical arrangements. It's also a step towards more sustainable behavior, as carpooling reduces the number of vehicles on the road.

It is important to note that other states permit newly licensed drivers to have at least one non-family passenger (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Teenagers: Driving carries extra risk for them, 2019). This doesn't seem to have increased teenage driving incidents in these states, so the argument for maintaining the laws as they are in Utah lacks solidity.

We need to bring Utah's driving laws into alignment with the needs of its young drivers. Join us in supporting bill H.B. 351, and let Utah's teenagers drive with one friend in the car during the first six months after obtaining their licenses. Please sign this petition today.