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Teenage & Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA)

Recently the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office has been receiving calls from concerned parents about their child’s learner driver license.  Most of the questions are about limitations and requirements.  Here are a few facts that Sheriff Mitchum hopes will be helpful to parents in the county that have beginner drive’s.

TADRA is a graduated driver's license program for young drivers ages 15 to 18.  It was established in Georgia by a collaborative effort of highway safety advocates, legislators, law enforcement officials, educators, businesses and media in the wake of a high number of fatal vehicle crashes involving young, inexperienced drivers.  This act directly addresses the leading killer of our young people - traffic crashes. The law significantly changes the way young motorists earn and maintain the privilege of driving by providing a controlled means for new drivers to gain experience and by reducing high-risk driving situations. While the law does focus on young drivers, it also contains important provisions that affect drivers over 21, particularly in the area of DUI prevention and enforcement. 

STEP ONE - INSTRUCTIONAL PERMIT (Class CP) is granted to 15-year-olds upon successfully passing a written examination. The driver with this permit must be accompanied by a passenger who is at least 21 years old and possesses a valid Class C driver's license at all times while driving.

Instructional (Learner's) Permit click here for more info

STEP TWO - INTERMEDIATE LICENSE (Class D) is granted to drivers between 16 and 18 years of age who have held an Instructional Permit for 12 months and passed a driving test. The Intermediate License has the following restrictions:

1. No driving between the hours of 12 AM and 6 AM. No exceptions.
2. Passenger restrictions:

• For the initial six-month period immediately following the issuance of a Class D license, any Class D license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets or highways of this state when any other passenger in the vehicle is not a member of the driver's immediate family.
• During the second six-month period immediately following issuance of a Class D license, any Class D license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets or highways of this state when more than one other passenger in the vehicle (who is not a member of the driver's immediate family) is less than 21 years of age.
• After the second six-month period, any Class D license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets or highways of this state when more than three other passengers in the vehicle (who are not members of the driver’s immediate family) are less than 21 years of age.

3. Joshua’s Law - On or after January 1, 2007, any 16 year old who obtains an initial Class D license must have completed a driver education course approved by the Department of Driver Services.

You also must have completed a cumulative total of at least forty (40) hours of other supervised driving experience, including at least six (6) hours at night.
If you have not completed an approved driver’s education course, you cannot get your Class D driver’s license until you reach age seventeen (17). Remember, forty (40) hour of driving experience, including six (6) hours of driving at night, is always required for a Class D driver’s license.

Joshua's Law click here for more info

Driver's Ed Courses click here for more info

Class D License click here for more info

STEP THREE - A FULL LICENSE (Class C) driver's license is granted to drivers ages 18 years of age and older who hold the class D license and have incurred no major traffic convictions during the previous 12 months. The following violations must not occur during this period:

1. DUI
2. Eluding a police officer
3. Drag racing
4. Reckless driving
5. Hit and run
6. Any violation that assesses four or more points on the driver's license

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Super Speeder Law Goes Into Effect
By:  Major James McDaniel

Sheriff Mitchum wants to warn the citizens of Twiggs County about a new law that went into effect on January 1, 2010.   The law was enacted by the state of Georgia and enforces an additional $200 in fees for speeding citations on the highways and roadways throughout the state.  Sheriff Mitchum would remind all citizens to be safe and be mindful of your surroundings whenever you drive.  And please obey all speed limits and drive responsible. 

Georgia’s new state "Super Speeder Law" went into effect on January 1, 2010, and high-risk drivers who ignore posted speed limits will be the first to feel the weight of higher state fees during the New Year. "SuperSpeeder"is designed to save lives on our highways by changing the way high-risk speeders drive in Georgia.

WHAT IS A SUPER SPEEDER?  Under the provisions of this new Georgia law, any driver convicted of violating HB160 will now be classified by the state as a "Super Speeder" and subject to an additional fee. The new ‘SuperSpeeder Law’ is designed to get tough on high-risk drivers who’ve been endangering other motorists and ignoring warnings to slow down.  On average, there’s a speed-related death-a-day in Georgia!

• HOW MUCH?  The new "Super Speeder Law" adds-on two-hundred-dollar state-fees for any driver convicted of speeding at 75-or-more on any two-lane roads.. OR convicted of speeding at 85-and-over on multiple lane roads anywhere in Georgia.  The new state fees will be in addition to any local fines already in effect in the jurisdiction where the speeding offense occurs.
• STARTING WHEN?  Beginning Friday, January 1, 2010, Traffic Enforcement Units across the state will begin enforcing the "Super Speeder Law" to crack-down on illegal speeders and make Georgia a safer place to drive.
• WHAT’S NEXT?  Fees collected under the new "Super Speeder Law" will be used to help fund Georgia’s trauma care hospital system where approximately sixty-percent of all trauma-care patients are crash-related. Now for the first time, "Super Speeders" will help pay for the hospital beds where crash-victims are being treated.

Super Speeder Law click here for more info