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 first get this piece of paper that says "Instruction Permit" on it. You're permitted to drive, but you have to have a licensed driver who's 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 an Instruction 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 14 and have your Restricted License? You still can't drive without a licensed adult in your passenger seat unless you're driving to or from work or school, and you can't drive any minors unless they're your siblings. 16-year-olds have it a bit better: you can drive alone anytime between 5:00AM and 9:00PM and if you have a licensed driver with you or you're driving to or from work, you can drive past curfew. You're also allowed to drive one non-sibling passenger under 18.

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.

Already feeling antsy? Want to upgrade your Instruction Permit to a Restricted License? 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:

A. Are you 18 or older? If YES, go to B. If NO, go to C.
B. None of this applies to you, so congrats! Go take your tests and get your license already.
C. Have you had your Instruction Permit for at least 12 months? If YES, go to D. If NO, go to E.
D. Have you successfully completed a state-approved driver education course? 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 25 hours of driving practice? If YES, go to G. If NO, go to E.
G. Have your parents signed all your paperwork for you? If YES, go to H. If NO, go to E.
H. Congrats! You're the proud owner of a shiny new Class C restricted Kansas Driver's License.

Another important thing to note is that you have to have completed 50 total hours of driving training if you want to upgrade your Restricted License to a less restricted license when you turn 16. You also have to pass your driving test before the upgrade. Good luck, folks.