CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In just two weeks, major changes are coming for anyone holding a learner's permit in North Carolina.
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, most new drivers will add an extra few months of learning and supervised driving before getting their license.
The North Carolina roadways are Janine White's office. She's been a driving instructor in Charlotte for the past 15 years. She said that she's seen how much the world has changed over the years.
“I love it," White said. “I literally drive down the road and say to myself, 'I love my job'. As I have heard so many times, we are in the microwave era.”
Indicative of the speeding up, she said the process of things is, too. It's something that also impacts how new drivers get their licenses now.
"Everything wants everything quick quick quick, but it’s not one of those tasks," White said.
Starting Jan. 1, Marty Homan with the NCDMV said there will be changes to the requirements for permit drivers. He said for the last 25 years, it's been mostly set at 12 months of supervised driving.
"During COVID, it was shortened to six months. That expired at the end of last year, and in early 2023 it went back to 12 months," Homan said.
Homan said that, following the change back to 12 months, there was a lot of pushback from people toward the North Carolina Legislature. White also said that she got an earful from students and parents.
"They were very upset, they didn’t think it was fair that their friend could get the license in six months," White said.
The new law requires new drivers to have a learner's permit for nine months.
White said that nine months is not long enough. She said teen deaths on roadways could be prevented with more training and 12 months or longer is the best time frame for that.