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.

Barring special circumstances, you'll first get this piece of paper that says "Learner's Permit" on it. You're permitted to drive, but you have to have a licensed driver who is 21 years of age or older in the front passenger seat at all times.

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

Think you're cool because you're 16 and have your Provisional Operator's Permit? You still can't drive between the hours of midnight and 6:00AM without that 21-year-old in your passenger seat unless you're driving to or from work or school. You also aren't allowed to drive more than one passenger under 19 who isn't a member of your immediate family.

The belief is that in this probationary time, you'll be extra super extra extra cautious. And if you're not, then you aren't ready to be inflicted on everyone else who has to use the same roads as you.

And while we're on the subject, anyone who accumulates three or more points their Learner's Permit will have to wait an extra six months before upgrading to a POP. Bet you want to know what kind of stuff will result in points on your license, eh? Check out our "Why Should I Care About This Driver Record Baloney?" article.

Already feeling antsy? Want to upgrade your Learner's Permit to a Provisional Operator's Permit? Let's play a little game to see if you're eligible.

Learner's Permit: Choose Your Own Adventure (As Long As It Sticks to State Rules)

Let's say you've had your Learner's Permit for a while now and want to upgrade:

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 Learner's Permit anymore. Time to take the tests and upgrade.
C. Have you had your Learner's Permit for at least six months? If YES, go to D. If NO, go to E.
D. Have you successfully avoided incurring a moving traffic violation within the last six months? 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 50 hours of driving practice, of which at least ten were at night or have you successfully completed a DMV-approved Nebraska driver education course? 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 Nebraska Provisional Operator's Permit.

To upgrade from a POP to an unrestricted Class O license, you must be at least 18 or at least 17 and have held your POP for at least 12 months. You'll take a vision test—or vision, written, and driving test if you're 18+ and have never had a POP—and be on your way.