North Metro Traffic School offers the 30 hour classroom and online course required by the State of Georiga for all new drivers to take before obtaining their class D license, ONLINE. We are one of the few State approved driving schools to offer an online version of the Joshua's Law program. You will receive the same certificate of completion as you would if you took the program in person. All you have to do is click on the Grey icon on our homepage to get signed up or the Register Online link above.
We use the very latest in computer software that is unlike anything else on the market. You can take a short demonstration before you sign up. Log on and give it a try because it is the nicest and most user friendly Joshua's Law course on the internet.
For anyone interested in obtaining their license before their 17th birthday, must have this course completed. We offer the classroom portion mostly during the summer months but check with our office for our complete schedule. The cost of this program is only $139.00.
Reasons for Joshua's Law
It is common knowledge that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among our young people today. Over the years, parents, educators, and law enforcement agencies, among others, have become increasingly aware and concerned about the issue of teen driving crashes. In addition to federal mandates and education requirements, individual states have been enacting increasingly stricter laws regarding licensing requirements for teen drivers in an attempt to curb this deadly trend.
Did you know that there are NEW requirements for new teen drivers starting January 1, 2007? Called Joshua's Law, it states that if you are 16 years old, you must complete a driver education course approved by the Department of Driver Services in order to receive a Class D License. Those individuals who do not complete an approved driver education course must wait until age 17 to become licensed.
Any Georgia resident who has not completed an approved driver education course must be at least 17 years old to be eligible for a Class D driver's license. He or she must have completed a total of at least 40 hours of supervised driving, including at least 6 hours at night. The same verifcation in writing by a parent or guardian is required.
Georgia has legislation aimed at increasing safety among teen drivers in The Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA), a graduated driver licensing procedure for Georgia teens between the ages of 15 and 18. There are three separate classifications for teen driver licensing. Joshua's Law, which is effective January 1st, 2007, is the latest addition to the TADRA, adding an additional educational requirement to the second step.
Georgia's teen driver's licensing process begins with Step 1, the Instructional Permit (CP). The Instructional Permit is granted to teens 15 years of age and older who pass a state-administered written exam. Teens possessing this permit are required to have a passenger who is at least 21 years old and possesses a valid Class C driver's license. There are no exceptions to this requirement. The Georgia Driver's Manual is available at Georgia State Patrol offices, as well as available for download (in PDF format) at the Georgia Department of Driver Services .
Step 2 is the Intermediate, or Class D, license. Drivers between the ages of 16-18 years of age who have held an Instructional Permit for 12 months and 1 day AND passed the state-administered comprehensive on-road driving test are eligible for this license. There are several restrictions on this license, which are: 1) No driving between the hours of 12am and 6am. "No Exceptions." 2) For the first six months, the only passengers allowed are immediate family members: i.e. siblings, or be 21 years of age or older.
