State House passes bill to add restrictions to teen driving laws in Michigan

(WXYZ) - New teen drivers in Michigan would face additional restrictions under a bill that was approved Wednesday in the House of Representatives in Lansing.

Sponsored by State Rep. Richard LeBlanc, D-Westland, House Bill 4493 would ammend the state's graduated licensing law. The bill would allow only one non-family passenger under the age of 21 in a vehicle during the teen's first six months of unrestricted driving privileges. There are no limits on the number of family members who could be in the vehicle. Currently there is no passenger restriction.

A curfew would also be extended under the bill.  Graduated license holders--usually those younger than 17--would not be allowed to drive unsupervised between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., with an exception for school and school-related, after-hours activities.  The current law restricts unsupervised driving between midnight and 5 a.m.

A cell phone ban was dropped from the bill before it came to a vote.

The vote was 79-19 in favor of the bill with nine members not voting.

The bill now goes to the Senate where it could be acted upon shortly after Thanksgiving.