The guide gives parents a practical and detailed instruction plan to help their teens get the most out of the supervised driving requirement under Michigan's Graduated Driver Licensing Law. Watch the video. The ultimate goal of the program is to help reduce the number of vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death for 14- to 18-year-olds in the U.S.

"Driving is a complex task and young drivers need to get some valuable supervised road experience before they are behind the wheel," Secretary Johnson said. "Anything we can do to improve upon practice time can ultimately help reduce crashes and keep our teens and other motorists alive."

The program also includes a mobile app called RoadReady that teens can use to log and track their driving practice hours. Teens are required to complete 50 hours of driving with a parent or guardian, including 10 hours at night, before taking a road-skills test and being allowed to drive by themselves.

Look for the guide as well as more resources for teen drivers and their parents at www.michigan.gov/teendriver. 

Under a state law known as Kelsey's Law (see video), you are prohibited from initiating a call, answering a call, or listening to or engaging in verbal communication through a mobile phone. If ticketed, you could receive up to $295 in fines and costs.

This does not apply if you are using a voice-operated system integrated into the vehicle or if you are using a phone to:

• Report a traffic accident, medical emergency or serious road hazard.
• Report a situation in which you believe your personal safety is in jeopardy.
• Report or prevent a crime or potential crime against yourself or another person.

Driving is a privilege that requires skill, practice, judgment and responsibility. As a young driver, your attention needs to be focused on the road, not on the phone. We encourage you to keep yourselves, passengers and other motorists safe. You should obey the law, and not talk on the phone while driving.

Kelsey's Law is named in honor of Kelsey Raffaele, 17, of Sault Ste. Marie, who died in a mobile phone-related automobile crash in 2010.

"Learning to drive is an exciting time, but please remember it is also a time of great responsibility. By obeying the rules of the road, avoiding distractions like texting, and never drinking and driving, you'll reach your destination safely."

Ruth Johnson
Secretary of State