Letter: Waiting restrictions for drivers license are unreasonable

In the state of Washington, there are many restrictions to getting a license that can be considered unreasonable because they only force new drivers to wait.

Examples of these restrictions include the six-month rule for getting a license after a permit and the intermediate license rule for waiting until the age of 18 before getting a full license. Driving experience is not a factor in these laws at all, it only matters how long you wait.

In my circumstance, I am a 17-year-old who has successfully passed drivers ed, the written test, and the driving test, yet I still cannot get a license. Why? Because it has not yet been six months since I received my permit. Waiting this long is actually causing me to lose driving experience because I would be able to drive more often without having to have a licensed driver in my car.

I understand that the intent of this law is to make it so new drivers can learn more before they’re on the road on their own. But if they’ve passed every test that makes them eligible for a license, they should be able to get one.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Letter: Waiting restrictions for drivers license are unreasonable."