In addition to being good drivers, students in Nevada who want a driver’s license must also have good attendance records in school.
A new state law effective Jan. 1 requires Nevada residents between the ages of 14 and 18 to submit a letter from their school certifying they have met the attendance requirements when applying for a driver’s license from the state department of motor vehicles.
The Nevada Sun reports that a student with a license can have it suspended for 30 days or up to six months for being a habitual truant. State lawmakers behind the measure said it is designed as an incentive to get students to stay in school.
Nevada joins 29 other states in the past 25 years that have linked a teenage driver’s license to school enrollment, academic performance, or attendance in some way, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
A policy brief by the Southern Regional Education Board finds the laws are likely effective, but recommends modifications and suggests more data is needed to assess the impact.