Am I Allowed to Drive More Than One Non-Family Member?

Ohio Drivers under 18 years old can only drive one non-family member around if they have had their license under a year, unless they are accompanied by their parent or guardian.

If you are under 18 years old, and just got a driver’s license, there are some important laws you need to know about.

Ohio Law places some restrictions on minors regarding who and how many people they can drive; where and why they can drive; when they can drive; and what they are allowed to do while driving.

If you’ve had a driver’s license for less than a year, and you are under 18 years old, you cannot drive between 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM unless accompanied by a parent or guardian; or driving to or from work with documentation from the employer, or from a school-sponsored or religious event with proper documentation. (However, there is a carve out to these time restrictions if it’s an emergency requiring you to drive).

You also can’t drive more than one (1) non-family member as a passenger unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

You also have to stay off your phone and everyone has to wear a seatbelt.

Who are you family members?

Ohio Law says that a “Family Member” is:

“A spouse; (b) A child or stepchild; (c) A parent, stepparent, grandparent, or parent-in-law; (d) An aunt or uncle; (e) A sibling, whether of the whole or half blood or by adoption, a brother-in-law, or a sister-in-law.”.)

Why doesn’t it include cousins? I don’t know. But if you are under 18 and have had your license for a year, the limit on driving more than one non-family member goes away.

In addition, the time restrictions change from 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM, and from 6:00 AM to 5:00 AM. But you still are not allowed to drive between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM without the proper documentation, unless you’re with a parent/guardian. You still have to stay off your phone and any mobile device.

Hopefully this is helpful information. Contact us if you have any questions. Drive Safe.