Ouch!

[Bird]

As mentioned, go with an accredited driving school.

It will also help on the insurance.

Aah, how things change over the years. When I was a kid, anyone 16 years of age or over could take the test to get a drivers license whether they had any formal training or not. My initial "training" was by an aunt who started letting me drive her car when I was 11. Then I took drivers education in high school; no cost, the local Ford dealer "loaned" the school a new car for the school year.

In later years our daughters took drivers education in high school. I think I paid $110 for the older one and $135 three years later for the younger one. And drivers education in the school was a joke. I think they put the kids behind the wheel for just a few minutes 3 times each. So I had to do most of the teaching myself. But our state legislature, in their infinite wisdom, decided that anyone had to take a formal driver training class to get a license under the age of 18. The public schools quit offering driver education, and private companies sprung up to make that money.

Of course, to get a license you don't really have to learn to drive; you only need to have minimal knowledge of the laws, and barely be able to herd the machine down the road.

So the private schools ran the kids through pretty fast, but didn't really teach them very well. As you might expect, they eventually learned that the kids taught by family members were better drivers than those from the formal schools. So Texas came up with the "Parent Taught Drivers Education" program. It can be taught by a parent, grandparent, step-parent, or step-grandparent, as long as the instructor has a good driving record.

You can design your own written lesson plan and get it approved by the Department of Public Safety, or you can use one of their programs, which you can download free of charge from the Internet, or you can buy a printed version for $100. The one I used for my grandson was a total of 1,600 pages (yep, that's not a typo) that included the student's manual, the instructor's manual, tests, forms to document what was taught and when, etc.

Naturally, a person could cheat on the paperwork, but hopefully, most parents want their kid to be well taught and will take the time to do it right. And I can assure you that the program we used was an excellent one; far better than anything I could have written. I thought it was even a good refresher course for the old man.

When it came time for the written test to get the learner's permit, he was asked if he wanted to take the test on paper or on the computer. Naturally, he chose the computer. And he was done so quick I couldn't believe it. It seems that the computer starts asking questions and if the applicant is getting the answers right, it doesn't ask many questions before it just stops and says you passed. They told us he missed one question out of 21, but couldn't even tell us which one it was. Supposedly, if he'd been missing more, it would have kept on asking more questions.

And the DPS has enough confidence in the program that when the applicant goes for his/her license, it's up to the person who taught the course as to whether the applicant even has to take the driving test. I would have liked for my grandson to take the driving test with a DPS officer just for the experience. But I had no doubts about his ability to pass, and the drivers license office was very busy, so I let him skip the driving test.

 

[EddieWalker]

... doesn't have a clue which way the front wheels are turned... just clue less on how to drive?

We have the same fear with our 12 year old daughter. She can't ride a bicycle without putting it into a ditch. I watched her rideing along the driveway, then vear off towards the front lawn, go across it and into the drainage ditch. She went almost 100 feet and never figured out how to put on the brakes or turn the wheel. I couldn't believe it, even seeing her do it.

Then on the ride along lawn mower, she was in the middle of a two acre field. I let her drive it for fun and knowing that there was plenty of room to ride around on it. She did the same thing. She was making a turn, probably 50 feet from the nearest tree, but came out of the turn pointing right at the tree. She froze and drive that distance right into the tree.

On the golf cart, she would hit a rough spot in the road and speed up. Making a turn, she would drift off of the road, no matter how wide it was. She has no concept of space around her or any ability to react to any sort of change. She put it in reverse to back out of the parking area with all sorts of room. There was nothing behind here except the bush hog mower. She turned right towards it, and kept going until she hit it and tore off the rear fender. Again, I was on a ladder roofing my gazebo and watched her do this. She didn't expect it to be there, and when it came into her view, she froze up and just kept going until she hit it.

Her brother is 7 and I've let him drive my truck. He learns quickly, plans ahead and has a real good idea of how much distance is around him. Even better, he reacts to changes in the road and conditions. She just freezes up and either goes through it or runs into it.

We are terrified of the day she turns 16 and wants to drive.

Eddie

 

[mjarrels]

I might start with a golf cart... 36 hole golf course next door has miles of paved cart roads. At least she can see the front wheels of the cart and tell which way they turn.

mark

 

[czechsonofagun]

I would strongly suggest to go with a school. There is no need to frustrate yourself and your daughter with driving teaching.

Of course I am biased, since in my country you have to go through driving school. Also the driving age is 18 (16 for small motorcycle < 50cc). In my opinion 16 years as driving age is too low.

Not to sound like a scarecrow, but in one of the counties up here in Virginia, they had a dead teen (or more than one) every prom night for the last 15 years and not always was alcohol involved.

 

[Bird]

I didn't think to do this earlier, but you can read about the Texas Parent Taught Driver Education on this website. I elected the block method and Course 101. And of course, I spent a good bit more time than the minimums they list. I think you could get the material and nearly all of it, except for a few state laws, would be applicable in any state.

I had one advantage in there being a large, unused, paved parking lot nearby in which I could set up various courses for practice. And part of the course is teaching about the vehicle, the instrument panel, etc. Course 101 used a 1999 Ford Ranger for their instrument panel and that module. My 2001 Ford Ranger instrument panel is identical.

 

[RobJ]

Aah, how things change over the years. When I was a kid, anyone 16 years of age or over could take the test to get a drivers license whether they had any formal training or not. My initial "training" was by an aunt who started letting me drive her car when I was 11. Then I took drivers education in high school; no cost, the local Ford dealer "loaned" the school a new car for the school year.

In later years our daughters took drivers education in high school. I think I paid $110 for the older one and $135 three years later for the younger one. And drivers education in the school was a joke. I think they put the kids behind the wheel for just a few minutes 3 times each. So I had to do most of the teaching myself. But our state legislature, in their infinite wisdom, decided that anyone had to take a formal driver training class to get a license under the age of 18. The public schools quit offering driver education, and private companies sprung up to make that money.

Of course, to get a license you don't really have to learn to drive; you only need to have minimal knowledge of the laws, and barely be able to herd the machine down the road.

So the private schools ran the kids through pretty fast, but didn't really teach them very well. As you might expect, they eventually learned that the kids taught by family members were better drivers than those from the formal schools. So Texas came up with the "Parent Taught Drivers Education" program. It can be taught by a parent, grandparent, step-parent, or step-grandparent, as long as the instructor has a good driving record.

You can design your own written lesson plan and get it approved by the Department of Public Safety, or you can use one of their programs, which you can download free of charge from the Internet, or you can buy a printed version for $100. The one I used for my grandson was a total of 1,600 pages (yep, that's not a typo) that included the student's manual, the instructor's manual, tests, forms to document what was taught and when, etc.

Naturally, a person could cheat on the paperwork, but hopefully, most parents want their kid to be well taught and will take the time to do it right. And I can assure you that the program we used was an excellent one; far better than anything I could have written. I thought it was even a good refresher course for the old man.

When it came time for the written test to get the learner's permit, he was asked if he wanted to take the test on paper or on the computer. Naturally, he chose the computer. And he was done so quick I couldn't believe it. It seems that the computer starts asking questions and if the applicant is getting the answers right, it doesn't ask many questions before it just stops and says you passed. They told us he missed one question out of 21, but couldn't even tell us which one it was. Supposedly, if he'd been missing more, it would have kept on asking more questions.

And the DPS has enough confidence in the program that when the applicant goes for his/her license, it's up to the person who taught the course as to whether the applicant even has to take the driving test. I would have liked for my grandson to take the driving test with a DPS officer just for the experience. But I had no doubts about his ability to pass, and the drivers license office was very busy, so I let him skip the driving test.

We did this for both our kids, the second one just got her license. It's funny/sad to talk to her friends parents. One will NOT ride with her daughter (driving 3 years, no wrecks). Another we mentioned the self taught, no way she's getting in that car and trying to teach. She keeps her eyes close whenever she rides with her daughter (and thats rare). Whatever I guess. We were pretty active. I told my wife more time behind the wheel the better, so even little trips we'd make them drive.

The self taught thing is like $22. They get the regular DPS book for the test, and usually take the test pretty quick...before the car training of course. If they pass, they then get the drivers permit. If they are 15 they have to get a document from the school to show they are in school, this document is only good for 30 days...DAMHIKT!! We missed it one time by 1 day. If they are not in school then I think you have to wait until you are 16. When you get the permit to drive with a person 18 or older (I think it's 18), they have to wait 6 months before they can get the full license, no matter the age. Then for 6 months after only 1 non sibling under age 16, can be in the car with her at a time. 2,3,4 siblings plus the non sibling are all ok. And no driving from 12am to 5am unless going to/from work or a school activity. Band would be a case for school.

As you mentioned no driving with a DPS office test, they never offered it to us I don't think.

I think it's a good program. My daughters best friend wend to a driving school, $300+ bucks, for 4-5 weeks or so. She said they watched a lot of COPS in class.

Rob

 

[turnkey4099]

A couple things that should be part of teaching.

1. You can't give a good 'handling' education to a beginner but one thing that should be done. Set up something for them to do a 'panic' stop. It will quickly disabuse them of the "stop on a dime" belief.

2. Teach them not to look at an object they are to avoid but to look where they need to go. That will eliminate 90% of the "freeze up".

3. Useless as they won't use it but a good book that discusses driving in general to include road curtesy, keep right, followindistances, etc. Also stress that their eyes belong on the traffic and vehicles ahead of them, not focused on the car to their immediate front.

If I were able, I would pull the license of a majority of the drivers I see on the road for following too close.

That Texas home course sounds like just the ticket - gives you some structure vice a 'play it by ear' approach.

As for getting license? When I got mine all I needed to do was ask for one (may have had to prove my age - 14), no test. That was Idaho back before Jesus was born.

Harry K

 

[Bird]

Yep, Rob, I forgot about the form my grandson had to get signed at the school showing that he was going to school. And of course a parent can always take a kid's license away, but with the Parent Taught course, whoever the instructor is, also has the authority to revoke the license at any time.

Harry, that big parking lot allowed us to practice not only a panic stop, but to set up a situation in which he had to be going a certain speed when he passed a certain point, then swerve to avoid an object in the road, and then stop before reaching another object.

Learning to not look at an object in the road that you wish to avoid, but to look at where you want your wheels to go, is especially important for motorcycle riders. I suspect that most people don't realize how likely you are to hit an object that you're looking at, when you don't want to hit it.

 

[chh]

Eddie, Remind us of this thread when your daughter starts driving.

My first driving lesson was at age 5 or so. Dad was at one side of the ranch and wanted the tractor and p/u on the other side. He stuck that old F-100 in granny stepped out and told me to stop at the creek 3/4's of a mile away. That summer (and the next several, until we switched to round bales)I was "volunteered" to drive for any hay hauler who didn't have anyone to help him. That was pretty much normal for a kid in rural OK in the 60's. My wife, who was raised in CA and didn't get a license until she was 18(driving school) still can not believe that I was driving regularly on country roads by the time I was 11 or 12.

 

[DocHeb]

Go and spend $100 at the local go-cart track.