New drivers

[Anonymous]

Hello,

Would this be the appropriate forum for parents of new drivers? I am a professional driver training instructor and am looking for data from the first six months of driving by teens.

Any history, stories, anecdotal evidence, or input would be appreciated.

If you had to do it over again what would you do or what do you plan to do?

[Anonymous]

I've got a kid who will learn to drive next year. I'm very interested in a course that really emphasizes defensive driving. And I plan to have her take a refresher course a year or so after she gets her license.

No recent experience. Only my own. But I had several friends who were killed as teens in car accidents, and totaled my own car at 18 even though I felt I was a very responsible driver for my age. So my priority is teaching safety as she gains experience.

[Anonymous]

We were very happy with I Drive Smart. All of the instructors are police officers or retired police officers. Our son has had his license for four months and so far so good.

He drives to school because of athletics and to stores for errands and to friends homes.

[Anonymous]

Our daughter was involved an accident her first week. For some reason she made a left turn on a red light and was struck in the intersection. She said that she thought it was a stop sign.

She didn't want to drive after that but a month later she was back behind the wheel and hasn't had an issue since.

[Anonymous]

I now know two girls who stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake toward the end of an early lesson with a parent, and had a crash (one into a building and the other into a fence).

[Anonymous]

I do not plan on letting my child drive until she is at least 18 and I will make sure she spends these two years learning everything there is to learn about safe driving. I find it appalling that many Americans are uncomfortable with an 8-year-old walking to school or a young teenager using public transportation because of a minuscule risk of abduction yet will put a 16-year-old behind the wheel of a 5,000 pound vehicle where they have a high probability of killing themselves or others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daughter was involved an accident her first week. For some reason she made a left turn on a red light and was struck in the intersection. She said that she thought it was a stop sign.

She didn't want to drive after that but a month later she was back behind the wheel and hasn't had an issue since.

OMG

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not plan on letting my child drive until she is at least 18 and I will make sure she spends these two years learning everything there is to learn about safe driving. I find it appalling that many Americans are uncomfortable with an 8-year-old walking to school or a young teenager using public transportation because of a minuscule risk of abduction yet will put a 16-year-old behind the wheel of a 5,000 pound vehicle where they have a high probability of killing themselves or others.

I agree.

The drinking and driving ages should be reversed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not plan on letting my child drive until she is at least 18 and I will make sure she spends these two years learning everything there is to learn about safe driving. I find it appalling that many Americans are uncomfortable with an 8-year-old walking to school or a young teenager using public transportation because of a minuscule risk of abduction yet will put a 16-year-old behind the wheel of a 5,000 pound vehicle where they have a high probability of killing themselves or others.

I would doubt that will happen. How is she going to learn about safe driving for two years if you don't let her get a learners permit and drive under your supervision?


You do realize that once she turns 18 its her call. In other words she does not have to listen to you or get your permission to drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not plan on letting my child drive until she is at least 18 and I will make sure she spends these two years learning everything there is to learn about safe driving. I find it appalling that many Americans are uncomfortable with an 8-year-old walking to school or a young teenager using public transportation because of a minuscule risk of abduction yet will put a 16-year-old behind the wheel of a 5,000 pound vehicle where they have a high probability of killing themselves or others.

I would doubt that will happen. How is she going to learn about safe driving for two years if you don't let her get a learners permit and drive under your supervision?


You do realize that once she turns 18 its her call. In other words she does not have to listen to you or get your permission to drive.

We paid our teens an amount equal to the insurance premiums applicable to their portion of the policy for each year they delayed getting their licenses. One of them took us up on it for two years, the other for just one year. Bonus to us: It delayed their driving for awhile until they were (in our view) more mature and prepared to handle it. Once they did start driving, like anyone else they had to get learners' permits and drive under supervision. That is necessary whether you begin driving at 15, 19, or 50.

Once PP's DD turns 18 it is her call, but she would need access to a car and to insurance, neither of which are readily available to a financially dependent teen. It's up to parents to decide whether to provide those things and if so, on what terms. They are not entitlements.

[Anonymous]

16:14 I said the same thing until DC turned 16 and wore me down! We've had many hours behind the wheel and I'm impressed by her ability. And she is so happy to have this little success (school is hard for her). So, you may change your mind. I'm just curious, how old is your DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:14 I said the same thing until DC turned 16 and wore me down! We've had many hours behind the wheel and I'm impressed by her ability. And she is so happy to have this little success (school is hard for her). So, you may change your mind. I'm just curious, how old is your DC?

It's entirely possible I will change my mind, especially given how good DD already is at wearing me down . She is 10 now and I make a point of giving her more responsibility and independence than most of her peers are getting, which should hopefully ensure that she will be better prepared whenever she does get behind the wheel. I do plan on letting her get her learner's permit in high school and doing a lot of supervised driving with us, just hope that she will delay driving on her own.

[Anonymous]

Hi I am the original poster. I am still looking for anecdotal info on how your teens handled the first month, first six months, etc.

Any wrecks? Tickets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daughter was involved an accident her first week. For some reason she made a left turn on a red light and was struck in the intersection. She said that she thought it was a stop sign.

She didn't want to drive after that but a month later she was back behind the wheel and hasn't had an issue since.

wow. she clearly wasn't ready. Did she pass the road test? My god... .there aren't even stop signs on that side of the street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi I am the original poster. I am still looking for anecdotal info on how your teens handled the first month, first six months, etc.

Any wrecks? Tickets?

My DS was 17 when he got his license, and has had no problems in his first year of driving. We let him drive everywhere we went together as a family, so he received a lot of practice on the Beltway and on highways. He had far more hours of experience than was required by the time he received his license.

One area that I feel the driving schools need to emphasize more is using caution when there are children and other pedestrians present, for example, on streets without sidewalks and in parking lots. Teens don't think about children dashing out in the street unexpectedly, or that an older person might not hear a car behind them when they are walking.