What age did you/your child first drive?

[Shmily1]

I think I was 7. My dad let me back up his stick shift truck. He neglected to mention that the brakes didn't work without pressing in the clutch but I still stopped--when I hit the tree.

DD21 started driving the day she got her learner's permit. DS22 started driving when he was almost 16 even though he had his permit on his 15th birthday. He just didn't care to do it.

[MrsDuck]

I think I was probably 13ish. My mom would take me to an empty parking lot. I got my permit at 15.

I definitely think those early experiences made me a better driver.

[Shyvioletisme]

The first time I ever drove was my first day of driver's ed when I was 15. Judging from the other people in my class, I seemed to be the only one who had never driven before. I was/still am a nervous driver so I had no desire to drive before it was time for me to do so.

[erincon23]

DH let DS19 pull the car out of the garage a couple of times when he was probably not quite 15. He promptly hit the side of the garage and knocked the mirror off the car. (To DH's credit, he didn't get mad or yell... I was proud of him! Not that he's the yelling type, but still...). DS16 didn't even want to try before he got his permit. And he will be able to get his license in about two months, but has not had much interest in driving, so he'll be way behind in required practice hours.

I didn't drive until the first day of driver's ed.

[aimyourarrowshigh]

I've never driven

[mrodgers]

My daughter drove the truck around to the back yard to wash it a few weeks ago. She is 11. (I sat in passenger seat with my hand on the handbrake, and had to use it, LOL.)

I drove when I was 14-16, but parents didn't have a clue. We would push the car out of the driveway onto the road, start it up there, and drive away.

[3Leafs]

all Last summer I let my son drive around empty parking lots and he was 13. He is now 14 and 10 months and taking drivers training.. In fact tomorrow is his "legal" first day on the road.. So I am warning everyone I know. He's actually a really good driver. I even have him switch the cars out with me know..

[Robinrs]

I learned how to drive at 31.

I tell people I was in NY 31 years, never needed to drive.

I was in Atlanta 31 SECONDS before I knew I had to drive!!

[Andtototoo]

The first day she got behind the wheel was the day she got her learner's permit. She got her permit the first day it was legal for her to do so -- at age 15.5.

Given the often tragic consequences of people not obeying traffic laws, I wanted to start her out right. For us that mean insisting that we all follow the most basic of traffic laws -- who has the privilege of driving and when.

[msheriffm]

This is really dependent on where you live. My children will not have an opportunity to drive until 15.5 because we live in a suburban neighborhood. Both of them are extreme rule followers, in fact my 14.5 DD points out every time she observes a driver not following the laws. She wanted a state driver's book last year after my dad had been studying for his exam.
I had the opportunity to drive a few times before I got my learner's permit when I visited my family in rural Mississippi. If I lived some where that had a safe place to practice, I would let my kids start driving around at 13ish. Really those kids are more comfortable when they can get a permit since they have had some sheltered experiences.