Starting Wednesday, new North Carolina drivers under 21 will receive driver’s licenses in a new vertical shape — to remind store clerks that they’re too young to smoke or drink.
Young drivers now receive horizontal licenses that are color-coded with red or yellow borders to reflect the driver' age. The old horizontal licenses remain valid until the driver gets a new one.
The new vertical licenses issued by the state Division of Motor Vehicles will add explicit birthday details in to show when the driver will turn 18 — when tobacco sales are legal — and 21 — when alcohol sales are legal.
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter and editor since 1976, he took over the 
