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 "Beginner's Permit" on it. You're permitted to drive, but you need a licensed driver who's 21 years of age or older with at least one year of driving experience in the front passenger seat at all times. And you can only drive between 6:00AM and midnight.

This bears repeating. You can't drive alone. Anywhere. This is huge. If a cop catches you driving alone with only a Beginner'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 Conditional or Special Restricted license? You still can't drive before between the hours of 6:00PM—8:00PM during daylight saving time—and midnight without that 21-year-old in your passenger seat, and you can't drive between midnight and 6:00AM without a parent or guardian with you. You also can't drive more than two passengers under the age of 21 without that older experienced driver unless they're members of your immediate family or you're going to or from school.

The only real difference between the Conditional License and the Special Restricted License is that with the Special Restricted License, you can have the time limitations on your driving waived if they interfere with school or work. You must be 16 to get the Special Restricted License, though, and if you got your permit and Conditional License right away and haven't been in any accidents or gotten any tickets, you'll get your unrestricted license automatically at 16 years and 180 days, so it might not even be an issue for you.

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 Beginner's Permit to a Conditional License? Let's play a little game to see if you're eligible.

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

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

A. Have you had your Beginner’s Permit for at least 180 days? If YES, go to B. If NO, go to E.
B. Are you 17 or older? If YES, go to C. If NO, go to D.
C. Congrats! Once you turn 17, you can skip the restricted licenses and go straight to the real thing. Time to upgrade.
D. Have you successfully avoided incurring a moving traffic violation or being found at-fault in an accident? 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 South Carolina Restricted Driver's License.