The final stage of the graduated license system is level III, which any Michigan drivers license attorney should be aware of. The level III license requires the driver to be 17 years of age, have driven a minimum of six months with a level II license, and have driven for one year without any violations or crashes.
There is no fee for the level III license, and no special application process. The Secretary of State automatically mails the level III license to your teen when he or she qualifies.
The level III license imposes no restrictions on the new driver. However, from a Michigan drivers license restoration standpoint, there is one significant safeguard against teens that may not be quite ready for unrestricted driving. The teen’s parent has the power to restrict the teen’s driving if the parent does not think the teen is ready for unrestricted driving. This helps the new driver avoid crashes and violations, which in turn should help reduce the need for drivers license reinstatement Michigan.
It’s worth reiterating that the whole point of the graduated licensing system is to help teens progress to a full license without any crashes or violations. This is done by gradually allowing the teen driver to gain the skills necessary for safe driving under parental supervision. As the teen gains skills, he or she is granted greater driving freedom. This should help new drivers avoid further restrictions and possible suspensions and therefore, the need for drivers license restoration Michigan.
Under the law, parents may restrict the level III license to a level II or level I license if they believe their teen is not ready for unrestricted driving privileges. The parent will have to go to the Secretary of State branch office to do this.
The graduated licensing system ends when the teen reaches 18 years of age, regardless of what level of licensing may have been achieved. However, teens exiting the graduated driving license system may still be subject to probationary requirements. My next blog will discuss driving probation and its effect on drivers license appeal Michigan.