15 year old not interested in driving?

[my3sonsagn]

My DS15 is the same way; we've been encouraging him to at least go take the learner's test so that he can practice driving. He'll say "okay, fine" but then he won't bring it up or anything. He likes driving on my Mom's really long driveway and through her (animal-free) pasture but seems to have no interest in driving "for real." We're in GA, so there's a minimum of a year wait between learner's permit and driver's permit (I think - they've made the laws a little confusing; it seems like someone got a little flow-chart happy with all of the if-then statements in the law lol). My Mom has volunteered to pay for driver's ed, we've all offered to take him for the test, but I won't push him harder than that. He'll drive when he's ready to, and, until then, my checkbook will breathe a sigh of relief.

On a side note, I got my learner's the day I turned 15 but then kept renewing it rather than take the driver's test until I was almost 18. I had friends and feet to get me where I needed to be, and that was fine with me!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My youngest will be the one to give us grief. However she will learn to drive. The HS is about 5 miles from our house. She will get her license and learn to drive.

Plus we also have the job aspect as well.

We don't have public transporation either so it is either drive or stay home.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I took driver's ed as a teen and found I did not like driving. My parents were planning to give me a car and pay all expenses. I told them I did not like driving and would rather they just keep paying for monthly bus passes. I did not get my license until I was 20 and needed to drive to get to a horse back riding class. I still don't like to drive--though I am fine at it. If your son does not feel that he is ready to drive, or wants to drive--why push him into it?

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

I was never interested in driving either. My twin sister got her license and drove us everywhere so why did I need it! I did end up getting it 6 months afterward I turned 16 but that was because a friend of the family and I made a deal, it I got my license he would stop chewing tobacco...so I got it and he stopped!

 

[ZPT1022]

I was the youngest person in my graduating class thanks to a late birthday and starting school a bit early. I did take driver's ed at 15 1/2 which was what was done at that time, but honestly, by the time I was eligible to take driver's ed in my junior year, most of my friends already had licenses and there was really no big rush for me to get mine. My mother and stepfather held the license over my head (like most other things) so I basically said the heck with it- it wasn't worth it. I did finally get my license halfway through my senior year when I was 17. I know a few people who waited even longer but it really wasn't a huge deal.


When my kids are old enough, I hope they go for it since it will be nice to be done with carting them around to all their activities but I don't want them doing it if they are less than 100% comfortable with it- that just seems like asking for a problem.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I had to insist my son take the test. He kept saying he didn't want it. He only had a week left on his form. He failed the first time. He missed the first 6 questions and the tester told him he was done for the day. He was nervous and made careless mistakes

My DH and I helped him study all weekend. He has learning differences and he was just afraid of failing. Once he failed he knew it couldn't get any worse. Took it again on a Monday and only missed 3 questions.

He has had his permit for about 3 weeks. He is getting better and more confident every time he drives.

It does take us about 30 minutes longer to get anywhere and I swear he is going to take out every mailbox in our neighborhood.

With my DS I have to push for him to succeed and later he tells me he is glad that I push him so hard.

 

[clh2]

My DD will be getting signed up to take her behind the wheel test exactly 11 weeks prior to April 15th.

I can't wait to give up the title of "mom-taxi" driver.

 

[torinsmom]

I took driver's ed as a teen and found I did not like driving. My parents were planning to give me a car and pay all expenses. I told them I did not like driving and would rather they just keep paying for monthly bus passes. I did not get my license until I was 20 and needed to drive to get to a horse back riding class. I still don't like to drive--though I am fine at it. If your son does not feel that he is ready to drive, or wants to drive--why push him into it?

I am not pushing him into driving right now. The learners permit test does not require driving, just a written part. If he doesn't want to practice driving, I won't force him. I just want him to go ahead and get his permit, so he is eligible for a license should he change his mind. Plus I don't know how long the certification he got in drivers ed will be valid. If he had to take it again, we have to pay for it.

I think the drivers ed teacher scared him, because he seemed fine until after he did the driving part of drivers ed. He said the teacher kept yelling at him, because he would brake too soon, or go into the other lane when he was making a turn. Now, in the teacher's defense, I can't imagine having that job!

Marsha

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am not pushing him into driving right now. The learners permit test does not require driving, just a written part. If he doesn't want to practice driving, I won't force him. I just want him to go ahead and get his permit, so he is eligible for a license should he change his mind. Plus I don't know how long the certification he got in drivers ed will be valid. If he had to take it again, we have to pay for it.

I think the drivers ed teacher scared him, because he seemed fine until after he did the driving part of drivers ed. He said the teacher kept yelling at him, because he would brake too soon, or go into the other lane when he was making a turn. Now, in the teacher's defense, I can't imagine having that job!

Marsha

I am glad you are not pushing him to drive Sure, driver's ed is likely what turned him off--it utrned me off. Before that I had no experience driving to realize I did not want to do it. I guess I would take the approach that if he changes his mind and wants the license later he will just have to wait. He knows how the system works doesn't he? I think I would call and ask how long the certification for driver's ed is valid and let him know if he decides to wait longer than that he will have to pay for a new class (do you ahev to have the class if you wait until after you turn 18?). Is your town small enough that he can walk or bike if you wants an after school job at some point? I did both of those things all over town when I was a teen (well I still do actually--different town though).

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I am not pushing him into driving right now. The learners permit test does not require driving, just a written part. If he doesn't want to practice driving, I won't force him. I just want him to go ahead and get his permit, so he is eligible for a license should he change his mind. Plus I don't know how long the certification he got in drivers ed will be valid. If he had to take it again, we have to pay for it.

I think the drivers ed teacher scared him, because he seemed fine until after he did the driving part of drivers ed. He said the teacher kept yelling at him, because he would brake too soon, or go into the other lane when he was making a turn. Now, in the teacher's defense, I can't imagine having that job!

Marsha

I checked on private instruction. It was $450.00. We didn't know that he could renew the form. I would have him take the test. As you said he won't have to drive. Why go through all that he has gone through and not get your permit? Good luck!

 

[photobob]

My DD was slow to drive. She got her permit at 15 but didn't get her drivers license until she was a few months short of her 17th birthday.

 

[Momof3Gr8kids]

My mom didn't get her license until she was 36. I didn't get mine until I was almost 18. I did get my permit, but my parents never pushed me to drive. I actually ended up having to renew my permit once before getting my license. You mentioned it was a written test only for the permit. How does your son do in testing situations? Tests tend to stress my son out especially multiple choice tests. He can sometimes over analyze answers. Could it be a combination of a fear of "failing" and the experience he had.

 

[Mom2Angels]

My son is 19 today and has no desire to get his license, his girlfriend just turned 18 and she is the same way....he says after the first of the year he will begin learning...I hope!

Debbie

 

[hellokitty86]

I'm 23 and I still don't want to drive. I only have my learner's permit so I have an ID.

 

[mollay]

I'm eighteen now, but when I was sixteen I was so reluctant to even get my permit. Driving made me so nervous, especially since my parents are not the most patient people to drive with hehe. Once I turned seventeen I -- somehow -- passed my test and every day after that, I have loved driving.
I guess the fact that I passed my test gave me the confidence I needed to drive.

I'd say just make him go through with everything and he may learn to enjoy driving. The more often you drive the more dependent you become on it.

 

[Art 1]

No big deal. I have 3 that drive and given that experience I would never force a child to get his or her license.

 

[ORMom2Four]

My DD is 17.....18 in April, and has NO interest in driving either. She has her permit, pretty much because Dh and I am MADE her take the test. She doesn't even want to practice. We have to really, really encourage her to practice driving. I'm not quite sure what's going on with her......we want her to learn, to gain some independence......

 

[Becky2005]

Yes. Mine has her permit but she doesn't like driving the minivan, so she rarely gets the required practice time in. She has to have 60 hours with 10 of those being night.

I think we have a total of 10 hours in and 1 of those is night. She won't back up yet & doesn't like to actually park in a parking spot.

Over Thanksgiving break, I made her take a long drive to a McDonald's about 2 hours away! It's one we always stop to on trips and is a straight shot down, so she literally just turned onto our main state route, took a left & just drove that route for 2 hours. She of course picked the hardest parking spot ever to get out of because all she had to do was drive straight into it vs. slanted ones. She made me do the drive back home though.

The last time she drove was on the 13th. I was going to take her out again this week but we just haven't had time. It takes a while to switch all the mirrors around & adjust the seat so we usually have to plan it out for her to drive.

She can't get her license until June anyway but I'm not convinced she will have her 60 hours of practice in before then the way things have been going. She has a lot of things to work on still.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I live in NJ. Last year a few weeks before my birthday, (16; getting my permit) I witnessed a (minor) car accident for the first time. It had me shaken up for awhile, and I didn't drive very much with my permit. But, I did take the time to learn. I passed my test to get my provisional almost 2 months ago, and I'm happy I practiced driving.

My friend recently turned seventeen, hasn't really driven, and hasn't taken her test. It's different for all of us.

 

[brasswillow]

I didn't get my permit/license until I was 19. It wasn't that I wasn't interested in driving, there were just so many other things I was doing. When I was 16 I had the option of getting my license or going to Japan for 7 weeks. 17 was my trip to New York to sing at Carnegie Hall. 18 was going to college where I couldn't have a car. It was something that I didn't feel like I was lacking by not having, but since I've had it I can't imagine going back.