You might be a finely responsible young man or woman, but statistics don't lie. You have too many minor brethren that make up the majority of motor vehicle crashes.

So, to protect everyone from your relatively high odds of crashing, we rein you in, especially during your teenage years.

You'll get this piece of paper that says "Instruction Permit" on it, which will be valid for two years. You're permitted to drive, but you have to have a licensed driver with at least one year of driving experience and who's 21 years of age or older in the front passenger seat at all times. And you can only drive during certain hours, 5:00AM to 1:00AM. And you can't drive a motorcycle. 

This bears repeating. You can't drive alone. Anywhere. This is huge. If a cop catches you driving alone with only an Instruction Permit, it's likely that you won't get your real license until you're at least 18.

And...you're gonna be stuck with a provisional license for at least the first six months, which means you still can't drive between the hours of 1:00AM and 5:00AM without that 21-year-old in your passenger seat unless you're heading to or from work. You can carry siblings in your car, though, and other passengers, if you have a parent or 21-year-old driver with you. Once you hit 18, you'll be good to go.

Already feeling antsy? Want to upgrade your Instruction Permit to an adult one? Let's play a little game to see if you're eligible.

Instruction Permit: Choose Your Own Adventure (As Long As It Sticks to State Rules)

Let's say you've had your Instruction Permit for a while now and want to upgrade to the real deal:

A. Are you 18 or older? If YES, go to B. If NO, go to C.
B. Congrats! Once you turn 18, you don't need that Instruction Permit anymore. Time to upgrade.
C. Have you had your permit for at least six months? If YES, go to D. If NO, go to E.
D. Are you at least 16? If YES, go to F. If NO, go to E.
E. Sorry kid, you're gonna have to wait a while.
F. Has a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult driver aged 21 or older certified that you have had at least 40 hours of driving practice, of which at least ten were at night? If YES, go to G. If NO, go to E.
G. Have you passed a driving test? If YES, go to H. If NO, go to E.
H. Congrats! You're the proud owner of a shiny new Class D Alaska Driver's License.