Parents of teens: When did you let them drive alone?

[WDWBarb]

As much as I hated it, I let her drive alone from day 1. She can't just go when and where she wants, but she drives every day. Her car is a 2-seater so we don't have to worry about her having more than one passenger in the car.

I still hold my breath every time she drives away....

 

[golfgal]

We have also told the kids NO RADIO in the car for "a while". That is as distracting as having friends in the car.

 

[golfgal]

Another bonus with teen drivers-DD wanted to go to the store for some things for golf and lunch. I was not really wanting to go but then we all remembered THEY can drive now . I sent them with my debit card and off they go (self-check outs there too ). I love having teen drivers.

 

[Hannathy]

Another bonus with teen drivers-DD wanted to go to the store for some things for golf and lunch. I was not really wanting to go but then we all remembered THEY can drive now . I sent them with my debit card and off they go (self-check outs there too ). I love having teen drivers.

I know it is so great! I loved it when she got her license.

 

[clh2]

I know it is so great! I loved it when she got her license.

I still swear that if DD wouldn't have passed her test - I would have been crying harder/louder than she would have been.

I also love having a teen driver!

 

[kacaju]

I love having teen drivers.

I never thought I would say that myself...but it is SO TRUE!!
dd17 got her license on her birthday in Oct. She has been driving her and her sister to school ever since. I also do not allow her to drive her friends.

My rule is she is never allowed to have a friend in the car unless she calls me first. I realize there are always exceptions.

I do allow her once in a while for example, she was going over to a friends house after dance. It would be silly to have that girls parents pick up the friend and have my dd drive herself to the friends house.

But the rule is I need to know if she has a friend in the car.

 

[luvmythree]

In my house the kids are allowed to drive alone or with their siblings/myself when they get their license. As for friends it's a law here absolutely no one who isn't an immediate family member for 6 months but in my house it's a year.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

So DD16 just got her license 3/15, she's been 16 since November but just got it. She just drove for the first time yesterday by herself down to the grocery store (about a 2 minute drive) and now she's begging me to let her drive her friends to the movies this weekend. Lol not quite sure that's going to happen this soon.

So parents of kids with their driver's licenses, when did you let them drive alone? What about driving other people? Just curious what other parents chose!

My oldest is almost 20. She was allowed to be alone day one because she drove herself to school everyday. It was either I drove her or she walked. It was not too bad, just under 2 miles or so. Believe me, I was so happy to not have to drive her anymore or pick her up at 1am from a football game, practices, etc. She was in marching band.

As far as friends in the car we did not allow that until she had her license for 6 months, without any incidents.

After 6 months she gradually got the hang of it and her sphere expanded gradually.

 

[disneycruising]

We have gone thru this in the past year with our DD 17. The law in California is you can not have anyone in the car for the first year! You can transport sibling with a note. We also have cellphone/texting laws for teens.

We did a driving contract with DD. I think this was the best thing we did because she knew what expected of her. Plus, we had in writing what we ALL agreed to. It was a long note about what she had to do to be allowed to drive: good grade, good behavior, job, pay insurance, run any errands we asked of her, etc. We explained that driving was a priviledge that you earn! That can be taken away if you do not follow the rules. Lucky for us.. she is a rule follower!

*For the 1st 3 months she was allowed to drive anywhere in our city, Not on the freeway! She was NOT allowed to use the radio! She had to call when she arrived and when she left.
*After 3 months, we added the town just north and south of us. She was allowed to use the freeway. Plus, she could use the radio. She still had to call when she arrived & when she was leaving.
*After 6 months, we added another town north of us and 1 south of us. She was also allowed to take a sibling to run a short errand. She only had to call when she was leaving no longer when she arrived. Sometime she had to drive a sibling to school.
*After 9 months, we added 2 more towns.
*At the one year mark, she had no more restrictions unless it was because of behavior!

 

[MichelleVW]

We have also told the kids NO RADIO in the car for "a while". That is as distracting as having friends in the car.

Really? And you stop them from this how? My


My girls both were allowed to drive from day one. I don't see the point of letting them get their license if you're not going to let them drive.

 

[golfgal]

Really? And you stop them from this how? My


My girls both were allowed to drive from day one. I don't see the point of letting them get their license if you're not going to let them drive.

Really. I stop them by trusting that they are following our rules. It is also pretty easy to check since they listen to different radio stations then I do . They get one warning and then no driving-they follow the rule because they want to drive. It isn't a forever thing, just until they get more experience driving without us in the car.

 

[almburr]

DD16 has been driving alone since she got her lic. she is a Jr and has been driving since she was a Freshman. She couldnt have any non-family members for I beleive 6 mo. She drives to other towns to be with friends and go to the movie. This weeken shes driving an hour and a half away for a prom. I trust my DD very much. She is a very safe driver, even moving her van out of the drive she uses her seat belt to back up 6 feet.. She refuses to use her phone. I have called her several times, and one of her friends will answer for her. She is allowed to listen to music. She now has friends with her all the time. I make her drive all the time, rain, snow, ice, wind, gravel roads. she needs to know how to handle it.

 

[golfgal]

DD16 has been driving alone since she got her lic. she is a Jr and has been driving since she was a Freshman. She couldnt have any non-family members for I beleive 6 mo. She drives to other towns to be with friends and go to the movie. This weeken shes driving an hour and a half away for a prom. I trust my DD very much. She is a very safe driver, even moving her van out of the drive she uses her seat belt to back up 6 feet.. She refuses to use her phone. I have called her several times, and one of her friends will answer for her. She is allowed to listen to music. She now has friends with her all the time. I make her drive all the time, rain, snow, ice, wind, gravel roads. she needs to know how to handle it.

In our state if you are under 21 it is illegal to talk or text on the phone, even hands free. Over 21 it is still legal to talk on the phone but no texting/internet/email.

 

[starrzone]

So parents of kids with their driver's licenses, when did you let them drive alone? What about driving other people? Just curious what other parents chose!

I did a 3.5 hour drive (4 with stops), alone, 2 weeks after I got my license. However, it was a drive that I had done as a pasenger MANY times before, and my parents always did (and still do, with my 18-year old brother) have a "Well, you'll never learn otherwise" attitude. I will mention, though, that I was 19 at the time; I'm not sure if I wouold have had the guts to do the same thing at 16!