As you have stated, on January 1, 2006 a California state law went into effect imposing new restrictions on teenage drivers with provisional licenses. One part of the new law says that drivers under the age of 18 who have provisional licenses are prohibited for the first 12 months after receiving the license from driving from 11 pm to 5 am.

The second part of the law restricts the new driver from transporting passengers under the age of 20 unless accompanied by either a parent or an adult who is at least 25 years old, for the first 12 months after receiving their provisional license.

This new law applies to teen drivers who have already received their provisional licenses. So if a teenager's license was issued in June 2005, the nighttime and passenger restriction will apply until June 2006 or until the driver's 18th birthday, whichever comes first.

Violations of the passenger or nighttime driving restrictions typically result in either court order community service or a fine. With a provisional license you need to maintain a clean driving record. One citation or at-fault crash within 12 months results in a DMV warning.

Insurance company's guidelines differ so you will need to contact your specific insurance provider to find out what would or would not be covered if your son is driving against the restrictions placed on his provisional license.

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