It would not change the age at which they can get a junior operator’s license, which allows a teenager to driver without a parent.
BOSTON – Massachusetts lawmakers are weighing a bill that would lower the age at which teenagers can get their learner’s permits from 16 to 15 and a half.
The proposed change would give young drivers the chance to get behind the wheel much earlier provided they have a parent or guardian by their side.
It would not change the age at which they can get a junior operator’s license, which allows a teenager to driver without a parent. That age is currently 16 and a half.
The bill’s supporters say it would give young people an extra six months of experience on the road under the supervision of an experienced driver.
The bill was being heard on at a public hearing Tuesday on Beacon Hill in front of the Transportation Committee.