Getting a driver license when you turn 16 is a long-anticipated rite of passage that most teens look forward to as a ticket to fun and independence. However, as with a lot of good things in life, there's a catch. Freedom never comes without responsibility, and teen drivers carry the same responsibilities as adult drivers―but with even more of the risks.

Until you've driven for a long time and encountered some sticky situations yourself (we're talking about close calls, not spilling a milkshake in the car), it's hard to imagine how serious a responsibility driving is. It's all about piling your friends into the back seat, cranking up the stereo, and heading out for some good times, right?

Well, when you're steering several tons of metal along roads filled with obstacles, signals, pedestrians, distractions, and other high-velocity chunks of steel, you need to focus more on safety at first than on fun. And when you consider that many of the drivers you're sharing the road with might be distracted themselves―adding potential dangers to your driving experience―you can see how you're going to really want to know what you're doing!

After you've completed your driver education and driver's training requirements, gotten your license, and driven for a year or two, some things will get to be habitual.

It will become second nature to continuously check your mirrors, monitor your speed, be aware of vehicles around you, watch for pedestrians, obey traffic signals, heed your gas gauge, adjust the stereo, roll down your windows, change gears, signal, make turns, and chat with your passengers all at the same time (whew!).

While younger drivers are learning to coordinate all those activities, however, driving is more risky. How much more risky? A 2001 study by the University of Utah School of Medicine found that although 16- and 17-year-old drivers in Utah made up only 5.8% of the population studied, they were involved in 19% of the crashes.

The study also found that teens were less likely than adults to wear seatbelts, and that when there were other passengers in the car, the crash was twice as likely to result in serious injury or death than if the teen were driving alone. Furthermore, a disproportionate number of the fatal crashes occurred at night.

We're not citing these statistics to bring you down; they simply illustrate the obvious: drivers with less experience are more likely to make mistakes. In other aspects of your life you can learn from trial and error―but when it comes to driving a car, mistakes can be deadly.

To give teen drivers more experience without exposing them to dangerous risks, Utah has adopted a "graduated driver licensing" program for drivers under the age of 18. Under this program, you can get a driver license once you turn 16, but there will be some restrictions on your license to allow you to more safely transition from a newbie to a pro:

• If you're under 18, you can't carry passengers under 18 for the first six months that you have your license unless you also have a licensed driver 21 or over in the front seat, or unless the passenger is an immediate family member. Exceptions: If you work for a farmer or rancher, and your boss asks you to complete a work-related, agricultural task, you can operate a motor vehicle if the assignment requires you to do so. And you can drive underage passengers if it's an emergency.

• Until you turn 17, you can't drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless you have another licensed driver at least 21 years old in the front seat. Exceptions include work-related driving between your residence and your job, school-related activities if no transportation is provided by the school, and of course during emergencies.

• A police officer can pull over and cite anyone under 19 for no other reason than not wearing a seatbelt.

You might feel like these restrictions cramp your style, but you won't have to live with them for long. And the rules are working: The restrictions have reduced the number of crashes involving teenagers in Utah by making sure younger drivers gain plenty of experience before undertaking more dangerous driving situations.

For some real-world advice for steering clear of trouble and keeping your record spotless, check out our "Tips For New Drivers" in the Drivers Training section. Why not learn from our mistakes? After all, you want to make it to your next milestone.

How to Get Your License

Detailed information for first-time driver license applicants is available on our Applying for a New License page, but here's a summary:

• 1. Complete a driver's education course and, if you're under 18, log 40 hours of adult-supervised driving (10 of those hours at night). Provide a certificate of completion with your application.

• 2. Your parents must sign the application and assume financial liability.

• 3. Show positive identification.

• 4. Pay the fees.

• 5. Complete a medical questionnaire and vision test.

• 6. Complete the required written and skills tests.

• 7. Have your photo taken.

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