He Passed!!!!!!

[Janet]

So how is your son doing with the driving? Have you let him out on his own yet? My son will get his in January and I am so afraid to let him go his first time alone. How did our mothers ever get through it?????

[magnolia]

No, he won't be able to go out on his own for 6 months. Here in MS, they have to have a lerner's permit for 6 months (a licensed driver 21 or older has to be in the vehicle with them at all times) before they can get their "regular" license. And when he gets that in March, he will have a certain license showing him as a minor and he can't drive after 10:00 at night until he's 18. Laws sure have changed since I got mine - back then, permits were good for 30 days, were written on paper, and then you could go get your license which had no restrictions on times of day you could driver or not drive. But I like the laws better - some of the kids just aren't ready to drive at 15 - TJ wasn't, that's why he just got his permit last week.

He's getting some practice in and is doing a very good job

[Janet]

I'm sorry, I thought it was for his regular license. You still have a ways to go yet. My son started driver's training last April. Finished that and now has his beginners permit. When he is 16 and one month he will be able to get his driver's license. Then I think, I need to check, he still won't be able to have anyone in the car with him for some time. It wouldn't matter, that would be our rule anyway. We want him to wait until at least August before he takes anyone with him, hopefully the laws are a bit longer so we won't be the big bad parents...but too bad if we are....

[Amber_lv]

I missed this thread somewhere well congrats!!

[magnolia]

Originally Posted by Janet

I'm sorry, I thought it was for his regular license. You still have a ways to go yet. My son started driver's training last April. Finished that and now has his beginners permit. When he is 16 and one month he will be able to get his driver's license. Then I think, I need to check, he still won't be able to have anyone in the car with him for some time. It wouldn't matter, that would be our rule anyway. We want him to wait until at least August before he takes anyone with him, hopefully the laws are a bit longer so we won't be the big bad parents...but too bad if we are....

TJ was actually old enough to study and take the test for his learners permit (beginners permit) in January of 05 but....we just didn't feel like he was old enough or mature enough at that time to let him take the test - and to be honest, he never "pushed" the issue! We were going to take him last summer ('05) but never had time and, as I said, he still was not pushing the issue. Then, the laws changed and now they have to be 16 before they can get their permit and then they must keep it for 6 months before they can go back and complete the driving test for their regular license (in January '05 when he turned 15, the age per law was 15 - it changed last summer). Hubby and I have no regrets in making him wait to get his permit and think in the long run, it "may" help to make him a little bit more cautious and aware.

[Janet]

That's what we want with our son. It's so scary isn't it? We just want him to have all the practice he can first. That's why we had him take drivers training in April. Then he has all summer, fall, winter and early spring before he actually gets his license...well he'll have them in January, but we are limiting where he can go and can have no one with him for quite some time. He'll have to earn this by showing how responible he is.