Do you allow your child to drive by theirself without a drivers license??

[Tigger1]

Today I was in a heated conversation with a parent who allows their child to drive without a license. The parent said, that everyone drives before they are 16 without anyone else in the car before they get a license. Also it was there business and their choice.

In my opionon whats the point of anyone getting a license if its ok to ever drive without one. What about if an accident occurs. Will the insurance cover damages? Is it people that allow children without licences to drive that make it necessary to pay for uninsured motorest insurance?

Whats you opinion?

Thanks Tigger

 

[JohnTBap]

No WAY. Can you imagine the liability if there was an accident????

 

[nativetxn]

We allowed our son to drive on our country property without a license but not without his father in the car. Never on a street or road or anywhere there might be people or other vehicles.

 

[TLinden16]

This parent obviously has no sense. I mean, what are you teaching your kid if you allow them to break the law like that? What other things is this parent letting their child get away with?

One of my cousins lives down the street from me, and she has two sons who are eight and eleven. Since they moved in down the street about six years ago, we've watched her kids pretty much complete freedom (when they moved in her youngest was two, and he was able to go out without supervision and cross the street, go wherever he wants). She lets her sons go out and start the car every morning, and I'm waiting for the day when one of them takes that car for a joy ride.

Karen

 

[Kirk]

My DD wanted to ride with a neighbor last night that I know dosen't have a license. I refused to let her go and just took her myself. One of her friends was with us and we all had this same conversation. The friend had jacked her Grandma's car and wrecked it. Insurance covered it. I would guess though that if a parent knowingly allowed this and there was injury or death they would pay a price in civil court.

DD has a restricted license here in TX. They are going to a graduated license here. Not a bad idea! No friends in the car the 1st 6 months or year, no driving between midnight and 5 am without ligit reason, etc.

 

[Grog]

That parent is an idiot. If thier child gets caught, they will probably not be able to get a license at all until they are 18.

 

[helenabear]

I was allowed to drive in a completely empty parking lot and on a farm (the private land there). I would don't know if I would want to go in a parking lot w/ a teen w/o a license now but I would probably think it is still okay to go to the farm land and do it on the grass there. Never on a street road or out where there are other cars though.

 

[CindyKansas]

DD turned 14 in November and she has her learners permit. She had to go to the DMV and take a test to get her permit. Now she has to drive so many daylight hours and so many night time hours before her 16th birthday (with a driver 21 years old and above) to get her license. She does have to take drivers education too. Insurance company told me to make sure she keeps at least a B average in school so that the rates will be somewhat cheaper. We also kept our 1989 Taurus and that's what I plan on her driving while she is learning.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

That person is a complete idiot.

 

[jfulcer]

According to this site, kids needs to have a license at 16. You can have a learners permit at 15. It does not show that you can 'drive without a license' at any age, even if it is for business. Check out the Drivers Information Manual at Oklahoma Drivers License Service on page 7 the only people that do NOT need a license are non-residents and anyone driving a farm implement for only farm activites. Show your friend this for a start.

Maybe even talk to your state insurance commission. I'm sure they have laws about underage driving that that commission can point you to.

Nothing like having some facts to help your case in the discussion you had...

 

[Serena]

I've let my girls drive in empty parking lots before. Kelsea only gets the steering wheel.

I would never let them drive on busy streets or anything like that without a license.

 

[becka]

I have to agree with Alex on this one.

And to think I thought parents are supposed to be the responsible ones....

 

[Bob O]

I would also agree with Alex. I would never let my child drive a car on a public street(or private property for that matter) till they have obtained the proper license. This family will get a very rude awakening if their child gets into a accident and their insurance company wont cover them because they allowed a person they knew had no license to drive their car. Its one thing to allow a child to operate a car on a farm and quite another to operate a car on a public street where alot more is happening around them.

 

[BethR]

I can't even believe that this might go on!

Not in MY world would this happen! There is NO way that ANY of my kids would be allowed on any kind of road without a learner's permit AND an adult in the car with them.

I just can't get over this!

 

[cgcw]

I have a very good friend who looked the other way when her daughter was driving without having earned her license yet -- in fact, the daughter was driving her bosses car around on errands. I totally flipped and pretty much told my friend how I felt. My friend answer was that she (my friend) had driven before she had a license, so she really didn't have any right to tell her daughter that she couldn't drive - because the daughter knew that mom did it. We got into many heated debates about it and it put a big ripple in our friendship. I totally do not agree -- in fact, if either of my son drives without a license, they will not be even getting a learners permit until they are at least 18!

 

[zurgswife]

I drove on back country with an adult in the car when I was young.....but unlike me my kids live in the suburbs and will never have the freedom I had 25 years ago....To dangerous now adays...

 

[janette]

No I wouldn't. It is something that is more common in a rural area. When my sis & I took drivers ed in HS we were about the only ones that didn't already drive. We had girls in the class that drove combines and tractors on a regular basis. Probably still common on the farms but not in most areas.

 

[Ranatra]

No, I never allowed that.
That parent is totally irresponsible.

 

[Rajah]

I was allowed to drive *ONCE* before I got a license -- it was in the mountains on a dirt road and my parents wanted me to know how to drive in case someone had an accident and I was the only one capable of driving for help.

But on city streets, and alone? NO WAY.

 

[poohbears5]

I have a neighbor that lets her two kids back car out of driveway and which I have seen the 15 yr old take spin around the block and when my 16yr old got her permit I signed her up for six hours of driving school behind the wheel the neighbor was amazed that I was letting her go behind the wheel with the school without her ever being behind the wheel she says didn't you ever let her back the car out I said no duh this is way the law say it works!