Executive Order on Driving Permits
Nerves for new teen drivers subsided a bit after an announcement was made by Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp. At the end of April, Kemp announced in an executive order that those holding instructional driving permits can qualify for their licenses without the “comprehensive on-the-road driving test.”
Simply put, teenagers can attain their driver’s license at 16 without taking the dreaded car test. New drivers must meet all other requirements. This includes 40 hours of supervised training behind the wheel.
According to this article on CNN, “The change is in effect until the expiration of the state’s Public Health State of Emergency, which Kemp has extended to May 13.” And, “It’s Georgia’s way of handling the backlog of the thousands of road test requests that have been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
Critics of the executive order say that it’s reckless. They say there needs to be a better system of checks and balances on new drivers (other than a parents say-so). A more recent article published by CNN says, “The Georgia Department of Driver Services released just how many teens had their permits upgraded since the road test waiver was announced last month: 19,483 teens.”
In this U.S. News article, and according to WSB-TV, “The order will help mitigate the backup of 30,000 people who want to take the road test. Still, some new drivers – and their parents – might feel more comfortable if they take the test before getting their license.”
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