The question: Every year, rumor says that the legal age to get a California driver’s license will be changed from 16 to 18. Will the legal age to get a driver’s license actually be changed to 18?

The answer: Currently, there is no law that says the legal age to get a California driver’s license has changed from 16 to 18, according to William Gutierrez, a Department of Motor Vehicles spokesperson.

“Nothing has come across the DMV’s desk,” Gutierrez said. “But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a legislator out there trying to do it.”

Currently, California drivers ages 16 and 17 can get provisional driver’s licenses. Drivers with provisional licenses have to obey the following restrictions:

•You must be accompanied and supervised by a licensed parent, guardian or other licensed driver 25 years of age or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor when you transport passengers under 20 years of age at any time (for the first six months of getting your license), or when you drive between midnight and 5 a.m. (for the first 12 months of getting your license).

•Persons under 18 may not be employed to drive a motor vehicle.

•When you become 18, the provisional part of your license ends. You may continue to drive as an adult using your photo license, which will expire on your 5th birthday after the date you applied.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed two laws that will affect drivers under 18, according to Gutierrez. On Jan. 1, 2006, those two laws will take effect, he said.

Drivers under 18 won’t be able to drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The current law says drivers under 18 can’t drive between 12 and 5 a.m.

Drivers under 18 also can’t drive with passengers younger than 20 in their vehicle without an accompanying adult over the age of 25 until a year after receiving their licenses. The law previously allowed drivers under 18 to take young passengers after six months of having a license.

“We get calls probably once a month from people asking if you have to be 18 to get your driver’s license,” Gutierrez said. But he understands why people ask. “When you look at all the casualties, teens are killing themselves at a tremendous rate on the road.”

Have a traffic-related question or concern? Send it to “Acorn Traffic Man” in care of the address on page 4 or by email to pic@theacorn.com. We’ll try to respond as soon as possible.