Anonymous wrote:What state are you in? Some states kids can start official drivers training at 14 and 8 months

They're here, in DC, MD or VA. OP is nuts.

What state are you in? Some states kids can start official drivers training at 14 and 8 months

My 14 -soon to be 15- is absolutely not driving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when can 14-year-olds legally drive in this area?!

When they are 15 and 9 months with a permit and supervision.

Exactly. Not a 14 yo.

No, but my 15.5 year old is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a small city in the DMV area. Spouse called the police to ask if we could teach kid to drive in a parking lot before they had a permit. The answer was yes!! I was not in agreement as this breaks Maryland law. The police said they would not enforce it so to go ahead...??!??!!

Legally they need a Learner's Permit to do this. Police will look the other way as long as nothing happens, but if your kid gets into an accident, then YOU, the parent, will be on the hook for any damages or injuries.

+1 your insurance won't pay for squat

My teens did not drive until they had their permits in hand. That was strictly timed after a physical and after 15 yo. I added them as provisional drivers on insurance before they got behind the wheel for the first time. This is the law where we reside.

Anonymous wrote:We live in a small city in the DMV area. Spouse called the police to ask if we could teach kid to drive in a parking lot before they had a permit. The answer was yes!! I was not in agreement as this breaks Maryland law. The police said they would not enforce it so to go ahead...??!??!!

Legally they need a Learner's Permit to do this. Police will look the other way as long as nothing happens, but if your kid gets into an accident, then YOU, the parent, will be on the hook for any damages or injuries.

We live in a small city in the DMV area. Spouse called the police to ask if we could teach kid to drive in a parking lot before they had a permit. The answer was yes!! I was not in agreement as this breaks Maryland law. The police said they would not enforce it so to go ahead...??!??!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an almost 15 year old and know a lot of kids in the DMV who have learned to drive. No one is learning to drive or getting lessons at 14. I've known people where there is extended family in some square state and maybe they've driven around a property in that setting. But that's it.

dH has been taking DD to drive at churches and mall parking lots in Northern Virginia since she was 14.

Which is illegal. I have a 19 and 14 year old and no one in any of our overlapping circles has done that with their kid.

Anonymous wrote:I have an almost 15 year old and know a lot of kids in the DMV who have learned to drive. No one is learning to drive or getting lessons at 14. I've known people where there is extended family in some square state and maybe they've driven around a property in that setting. But that's it.

dH has been taking DD to drive at churches and mall parking lots in Northern Virginia since she was 14.

I'm a little worried about your parenting if you're falling for that kind of lie.

Are you also going to fall for "but everyone throws drinking parties in high school!" and "but everyone is going to beach week!"?

You'd better get smart real quick, OP, before you end up being *that* parent and risk prison.

My 14 year old isn't driving at all, but he is super interested in getting his license and learning to drive. So nearly every drive turns into an instruction session on how he should handle various driving situations.

I've taught him how to open the hood, check the oil, check tire pressure, change a tire, use the jumper cables, etc. Those were all things that we taught our older two kids after they had their learners permits, but have been teaching this kid early since he is so interested. We call these "driving lessons" but he isn't actually operating a vehicle yet.

That all being said - I would definitely encourage this interest in your daughter! Teens weirdly don't want to get their licenses as much used to and I've read it isn't great. Kids need the independence.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. We are in the DMV but I did not realize there are places that will give lessons to teens before they receive their permits. I hadn’t really looked much into this because as I mentioned, I never pre-planned as a teen back then.

I’m curious if things changed when high schools stopped offering drivers Ed as a course?

No op it sounds like there is some confusion. It is definitely illegal for a child to be driving before they have a learners permit. When they have their learners permit then of course you want to be out with them as much as you possibly can and give them lots of opportunity to practice and learn in different situations while you are there, before the test.

I think people were initially responding to the way it sounded in your post that you didn't think practice was needed before the test. So yes practice before the test but AFTER learners permit.