Until Saturday, new drivers under age 21 in New Jersey who planned to take their driver's test did not need to practice a required number of hours, although the state said training should last at least six months.Â
That all changed over the weekend: The youngest prospective drivers now must complete a minimum of 50 hours of practice driving, with at least 10 hours in darkness, according to a new state law.
And a parent, guardian or supervising driver now must sign a formal certification of supervised driving and submit it to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission before taking the driver's test.
Before taking road test in Pennsylvania, the young driver is required to have 65 hours including 10 hours of nighttime driving and five hours of bad weather driving, according to the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual.
In New York State, the driver's manual calls for at least 50 hours of practice, with 15 hours after sunset and a recommendation of at least 10 hours in heavy traffic.
New Jersey's manual, which predates the new law, calls for at least six months of practice but does not specify how many hours. However, the "early bird" graduated driver's license option for 16-year-olds required the teen to complete an approved driver training course.
The legislation on December 11 was passed by the State Senate unanimously, 34 to 0. It was passed by the State Assembly on December 21, 67 to 5, and Gov. Phil Murphy signed it into law on January 8.
Changes requiring supervised driving hours do not apply to anyone issued a permit before Saturday, February 1, according to the state.
"This update to New Jersey's Graduated Driver License program requirements underscores the importance of putting time in behind the wheel, which is crucial for young drivers as they learn how to operate a vehicle," Latrecia Littles-Floyd, acting Motor Vehicle Commission chief administrator, said in a statement. "More practice leads to safer, more capable drivers — which, in turn, leads to safer roads for all."
"With this victory, New Jersey has taken a significant step forward in making roadways safer for everyone," the nonprofit Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety noted in its 2025 Roadmap to Safety.
"New Jersey had a glaring and dangerous gap in its (Graduated Driver's License) law, as one of only three states that did not mandate practice hours for teen drivers. This lack of training left young drivers unprepared and put everyone on the road at greater risk," the nonprofit stated in the report.
The 36-year-old nonprofit — an alliance of the insurance industry and safety, consumer and public health groups — calls for 70 hours of supervised driving. Only Maine requires 70 hours, according to the organization.Â
"Based on police-reported crashes of all severities, the crash rate for 16–19-year-olds is nearly four times the rate for drivers 20 and older. Risk is highest at age 16," according to the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
In 2022, the leading cause of death of people 15 to 24 years old was motor-vehicle accidents, accounting for 6,843 fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The second-highest cause of death in 2022 for that age group was homicides (6,262).
