When North Carolina rolled out its graduated driver’s license program back in the 1990s, requiring teens to drive under supervision for a full year, the results were clear and immediate: fatal crashes among 16 and 17 year olds dropped sharply.

But during the pandemic, that 12 month requirement was temporarily cut in half to just six months. Then in 2023, as frustrated parents pushed back against DMV delays, lawmakers decided not to restore the full year. Instead, they landed on a nine month minimum.

Since then, crash rates for young drivers have jumped 13 percent, according to new data. Now, lawmakers are considering rolling that back even further, possibly requiring only 60 supervised hours behind the wheel before a teen can move to the next level of licensure.

The House Transportation Committee is expected to take up House Bill 584 again today, April 16, which would make that change official.

North Carolina’s graduated licensing system, first introduced in 1997, was once considered the model for the entire nation, cutting serious and fatal crashes among new drivers nearly in half. Experts say the key was giving teens enough time to gain real world driving experience through all seasons and road conditions before setting out on their own.

But the system has taken hits in recent years, particularly during the pandemic, when legislative changes prioritized convenience over caution.

Rep. David Willis from Marvin, the bill’s sponsor, says he’s hearing from constituents tired of the long wait times at DMV offices. And the frustration isn’t unfounded. Even now, getting an appointment can feel impossible. Earlier this week, Fuquay Varina was the only DMV in the state showing open slots for all stages of teen licensing. Elsewhere, wait times stretched from just a few minutes to over three hours.

That’s where DMV Slots steps in. Instead of waiting months for an open appointment, families can sign up for instant alerts. Our system scans for cancellations in real time, letting users snag a last minute slot before it disappears, often saving them hours of time and weeks of stress.

Experts like Robert Foss, a longtime researcher of teen driving safety, warn against using long DMV lines as justification for slashing training requirements. The original 12 month period, he notes, was designed to ensure teens got behind the wheel experience across different weather and daylight conditions. It wasn’t just a formality, it was a safeguard.

Still, HB584 pushes forward. Among its proposals:

• Dropping the 9 month learner’s permit requirement altogether
• Eliminating the driving eligibility certificate schools currently issue
• Allowing teens to apply for their full provisional license online

The idea behind moving more of the process online, supporters argue, is to streamline things for families and reduce pressure on local DMV offices, something DMV Slots fully supports. We’re already helping thousands of families book faster appointments. Giving them more online options will only enhance that accessibility.

Critics worry that these changes come at a cost. Caroline Mozingo of UNC’s Highway Safety Research Center says the so called “waiting period” is actually a vital practice period that protects new drivers and everyone sharing the road with them.

The bill, if passed, would go into effect on October 1, 2025. It would apply to all permit and provisional license applications submitted on or after that date.

Here’s a refresher on how the current system works:

Level 1 (Limited Learner’s Permit):
Ages 15 to 17, requires driver’s education and a driving eligibility certificate. Must drive under supervision only.

Level 2 (Limited Provisional License):
After nine months of supervised driving and 60 logged hours, teens can drive alone but with curfews and some restrictions.

Level 3 (Full Provisional License):
After six months with a Level 2 license and 12 additional logged hours including night driving, teens get full driving privileges.

As North Carolina weighs whether 60 hours is enough, DMV wait times are clearly part of the pressure. But cutting safety corners is not the only option. DMV Slots offers a smarter alternative, one that keeps safety standards high while helping families navigate the process faster and easier.

Because when it comes to teen drivers, convenience should not come at the cost of safety.