T Baer Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 them go to a Driver's Education class? Also what about on the road driving, can you do this with other kids riding in the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 The laws will depend on your state. Here in NJ, they have to do 6 hours with a licensed driving school. After that they are supposed to do 6 months of practice with parents or adult license drivers. There are restrictions on how many non-family members can be in the car while they have their permit and while they have a provisional license (1st year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I follow the North Carolina regs - they have to go to a classroom for a certain number of hours and then have a certain number of hours behind the wheel with an instructor before they can even get a learner's permit. After the permit, yes I drive with them and yes with my other kids in the car. No one else's kids though - mostly b/c dh wouldn't like it if our kids were in the car while someone else was driving on a permit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 We had ds do an online driving school, and then do on the road training with a driving school. He practiced a bit with us, too (had to have 40 hours, I believe). He then got a car with a stick and had to learn to drive all over again! :D Unfortunately, this is my Aspie, and he hates to drive because it's difficult for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I taught both of my older boys to drive and my youngest just turned 15 so I'm about to do it again. We skipped Driver's Ed (I didn't want to deal with finding one) even though insurance will give you a break if you do. They have both turned out to be fine drivers. When they were first starting, no other family members were in the car. If anything were to happen, I didn't want them to have to live the rest of their lives with the consequences. But as they got better, they became the family chauffeur. I never, ever let them drive with a non-family member in the car and I do not allow them to ride with a learning driver either (refer to the lifelong consequences above). Take baby steps. Drive around an empty parking lot, quiet back streets, etc. Then move up to roads with more traffic. As they were nearing the end of their learning, I made sure to take them through construction areas, on/off ramps to the highway, highway interchanges where there were many options of lanes to choose from...anything that I could think of that might cause stress or confusion even to the experienced driver. Good luck on your new journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Check your state rules. In CO, there are different rules about when they can get a liscense if they went to driving school or not. I taught my son and my neice how to drive. I also sent my son to driving school so that he could get his license six months sooner. I taught them both with our other children in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Here in IL a minor has to be enrolled in a driver's ed program in order to obtain a permit. Once 18 the young adult will be issued a permit after passing the written test and then may be instructed by a licensed driver who has had a license for at least one year. When the new driver is ready, he or she goes to take the driver's test. After talking to our dd we decided this is how we will proceed. She does not have a burning desire to obtain a diver's license at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 To be licensed before 18 in Ohio, there is mandatory Driver's Ed time (including 3 "in-car" sessions), as well as 40 (I think?) hours in the car with a parent, with a percentage of that time required to be nighttime driving. We're currently teaching my brother to drive at 17. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Hen Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I follow the North Carolina regs - they have to go to a classroom for a certain number of hours and then have a certain number of hours behind the wheel with an instructor before they can even get a learner's permit. After the permit, yes I drive with them and yes with my other kids in the car. No one else's kids though - mostly b/c dh wouldn't like it if our kids were in the car while someone else was driving on a permit. And here I thought Delaware's program was unique but NC regs sound the same. Classroom work with hours behind the wheel with the classroom instructor before getting their permit. Kids between the ages of 16 - 18, must go through the public school or the YMCA classroom program. The public school kids program is paid for through tax-dollars while private and homeschooled kids must pay for the program (to the tune of $400). isn't that nice :confused: Once the child passes the classroom then for 6 months the child can only drive supervised by an adult over the age of 25. Family members and at most one-non-family member is permitted in the car. After 6 months the parent can let the child drive alone however we didn't permit this. If you keep supervising your child then you do not need to put them on your car insurance plan until he drives alone! For us that was enough of a financial benefit to keep supervising our DS for a full year. Saved us about $800 in car insurance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 We're getting ready to do the driver's ed class in Michigan. There is no option for parents to teach their teen. It is a long and complicated system here, starting at 14 years and 8 months (we opted to wait until she turned 15.) They take a class and some driving time, then rack up experience with a parent, then take another class, then get a provisional driver's license with restrictions on it until they are 18. The classes will be almost $400, and everyone pays for their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 There was no way I was going to teach my son to drive. I am way too high-strung for that and I know it. My dad was the same way and he tried to teach me. Dad was HORRIBLE at it and the lessons usually ended up with me in tears and him not talking. Sooo...knowing all this, we put ds in a local driving school and he went out with a driving instructor. He did very well. I couldn't risk turning into my dad if I had tried to teach him. DH took him out some but mainly worked through Safe Young Drivers: A Guide for Parents and Teens by Phil Berardelli with him. I didn't want to try to get him in the local HS program because it is very hard to get a placement. We spent around $200 and the private program was great. The instructor took him to the driving test too. It was blissfully effortless for us and ds is a fantastic driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) In CA, kids have to have 30 hours of "classroom teaching" (can be online) and, I think it's minimum 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training from an instructor (i.e. not just mom or dad) and then 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice before they can get their license. And they must wait 6 months betwen getting a permit and testing for a license. Our dd took a class through AAA. Pricey, and the instructor drove her batty, but she got a good idea of what it feels like to be in a classroom with P.S'ed kids who care nothing about being there. ETA: There are also rules about who can be in the car with them when they first get their licenses, but I can't remember them at the moment. Edited March 31, 2011 by Alphabetika Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Most states will require Driver's Ed and road time with a professional instructor before issuing a license. In Utah, it's Driver's Ed and six hours of driving time with a professional instructor. In addition, 40 hours of road time is required with a permit and a licensed driver over the age of 21. Then there is the road test with the DMV at the end. We used a private driving school with both of my kiddos. It worked great! To answer your other question, I would not allow other children in the vehicle while I was trying to teach driving. Too distracting for the learner and too dangerous (IMHO) as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 My ds was already 17 when we started so we were able to skip formal Driver's Ed. He had to complete a written test (online) and then we just practiced for almost a whole year before I let him get his license. I am glad he got so much practice. He's been driving over a year now as a licensed driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.