Harriet Vane Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My teenager is turning 15yo shortly and has been lobbying steadily to learn to drive. She's a really sweet, uber responsible girl who works hard and is very trustworthy and careful. That said, my darling daughter is also kind of lacking common sense or instincts for some of the skills she will need as a driver. When biking she has very little awareness of her surrounding or other moving vehicles. It scares me to death! I think that learning to drive on our big minivan (Toyota Sienna) will be very, very difficult. Actually, I think learning to drive any motor vehicle will be difficult for her. The sad truth is that I think her 10yo brother would handle a car better than her. She is my more cautious, compliant child, but ds has better instincts physically. So, I'm scared to death to get her into Driver's Ed and starting to entertain wild thoughts of buying a second car so that she could learn on something smaller. However, a second car would be an expense we don't really want to take on. Advice? Reassurance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My son is learning to drive on our Explorer and Odyssey. It hasn't been an issue. I was nervous about him driving, but he is really doing a nice job. We waited until he was 15 and 10 months before he got his permit, which he has to have for a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I learned to drive in a minivan. I think that it gave me confidence -- later on, I saw friends who learned in small cars either afraid to drive or have accidents when they moved to something bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My space-cadet oldest son learned to drive on our 15 passenger van! I was pleasantly surprised that he was a very good driver with good instincts after all. My second son, who I thought would take to driving well, wrecked both our vehicles, twice. :confused: Once, both at the same time in the driveway! So maybe your dd will surprise you and take to driving easily. My son said he could drive anything after learning on our big van. I was actually more afraid of my new drivers driving small cars, which would sustain more damage in an accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Both of mine learned on the mini-van. Just go slowly...do short, simple lessons. Include things like how to center your vehicle in the center of the lane. Find some quiet streets or go to a large empty parking area for the first lessons. The best things about a mini-van are that the driver is sitting up higher...I think you can see very well up there. Plus, the bigger vehicle is safer in case of an accident. :D Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I learned to drive on this: With a 127 inch (10.6 feet) wheelbase, length of 224.4 inches (18.7 feet), width of 80.0 inches (6.7 feet), a height of 54.8 inches (4.5 feet), and a weight of 4,168 lbs. (2.084 tons), the Ninety-Eight's continued to be the largest models produced by Oldsmobile. Ds and dd learned on a Yukon XL. The more tank-like the better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zookeeper Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The only options here are the 12 passenger van or the old, finicky stick shift. Needless to say, my ds hasn't been too keen on driving. :lol: Fine with me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My 16yod is learning on our 15 passenger van. Advantages are she can see and she is seen! Still, she is hesitant. We are still practicing in our little subdivision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 A smaller second car would be more dangerous for her in an accident. Make her wait if you do not feel she is ready. My dd is more than ready - her older brother is 20 and not only does he not want to drive yet, I have my doubts about him doing so. I only got my license at age 18 since I HAD to drive to get to and from college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 :grouphug: we've taught four, all with varying awareness of what's around them. we made them learn on a super cheap 94 tercel stick. (for 1ds, I also had my mothers volvo and he used that until we sold it.) interesting my sons complained about learing a stick, but my girls would talk about what an advantage it is. another advantage when they are learning is if they lose control/get overwhelmed - they will kill the engine with a manual, whereas an automatic keeps going. the not being aware of her surroudings would be my biggest concern. an old beater volvo (re: cheap) is a good car to learn on. Start her out in a parking lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 ER learned to drive in our minivan, and it was great because the visibility was much better in our minivan than in most cars. The minivan wasn't as low to the ground, and there were windows all around (fewer blind spots). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camikins2010 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Good luck! My 14 year old DD is dying to drive which scares me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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