A Brief History of Driving Laws

It might surprise younger drivers to hear how much the laws and technology have changed since their parents were learning to drive. The primary focus has been on improving driver safety. Here’s a closer look at some important legal changes to driver safety laws recently:

1980s: Seat Belt Laws and Drinking Age Raised

In 1984, the U.S. introduced a law requiring states to raise their drinking age from 18 to 21 or lose federal highway funding. By the late 1980s, all states complied, significantly reducing drunk driving accidents among younger drivers. Also in the 1980s, Texas and many other states began requiring seat belt use, making buckling up an everyday habit for drivers.

1990s: Airbags and Antilock Brakes (ABS)

In 1998, airbags became federally mandated for all new cars in the U.S. Around the same period, Antilock Braking Systems (ABS) became standard, dramatically improving vehicle control during sudden stops and emergencies. Prior to that, vehicles had drum brakes; which required you to repeatedly apply brake pressure to avoid the wheels locking up and skidding if you slammed the brakes too hard.

2000s: Cell Phone and Texting Restrictions

As cell phones became widespread, Texas and other states began implementing laws restricting cell phone use and texting while driving. Texas banned texting while driving statewide in 2017, reflecting growing awareness of distracted driving dangers. Most states have laws requiring any phone calls to be hands-free.

2010s: Backup Cameras Required

In 2018, backup cameras became mandatory nationwide for all new vehicles sold in the U.S., significantly reducing accidents caused by reversing cars—something that many young drivers now take for granted.

2020s: Self-Driving and Driver Assistance Systems

Today, laws are beginning to tackle the challenges of self-driving cars and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Modern drivers must now learn how to interact safely with these technologies, understanding their capabilities and limitations.

These changes highlight how recent many crucial safety improvements are. Importantly, understanding how recent some of these changes are will hopefully provide context that it is an evolving landscape at all times. As self-driving cars become the norm, there will be new challenges that new laws will aim to address. Ask a parent or grandparent about what things have changed about driving since they were growing up, and you might be shocked how different the roads are now.