California Issues CDL To 8-Year-Old After He Promises To Use Turn Signal
SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced Tuesday it had issued a full commercial driver’s license to 8-year-old Brayden Martinez, citing his “verbal commitment” to use his blinker “at least most of the time.”
“Brayden assured us he’d only drive semi-trucks during recess,” said DMV director Alicia Hernandez, proudly handing the third-grader his laminated license after he successfully honked the horn on a Peterbilt. “We believe his promise to signal makes him every bit as qualified as the adults we’ve been licensing.”
Governor Gavin Newsom defended the decision, calling it “a bold step toward transportation equity.”
“If someone who can’t legally be in the country can have a license, surely a third-grader with excellent Minecraft reflexes deserves one too,” he said.
The Teamsters Union has expressed concern, noting that while Martinez can shift gears, he “can’t yet multiply by sevens” and “sometimes forgets left from right.”
Despite the controversy, the DMV says waitlists for child CDLs are filling quickly, with several expected to take their road tests this fall on Fisher-Price Power Wheels.
