Taking 17 year olds out for driving practice

[Sparklingbrook]

Anyone else doing this? just wanted to compare notes.

One of my relatives is doing it and said it feels strange, bordering scary. I told him it is best to oversee things personally than wonder what is happening, as his kid is very enthusiastic about driving.

I was a basket case this morning as he drove to school alone. I made him text me when he arrived, and the b**r made me wait 40 minutes (it's a 15-20 minute journey).

Haffdonga my DSS passed his first time without any extra practice.

Mine passed a couple of weeks ago OC and I'm just about getting used to it. He has announced this week that he is driving a car full of his mates up to London tomorrow night, 130 miles away and first time on the motorway

Gin... and lots of it, Apple. Be brave. He will be taking it Very Seriously.

I hope so. It's after twelve noon so best start on the gin now I reckon.

It gives a whole new dimension to terror I discovered yesterday. I can imagine your feelings, and empathise.

Not a child but I took my DP out driving while he was learning. I did the early instructing alone and then he had 3 lessons with an instructor and just driving around with me in the mean time. He passed first time. However, since we are in Canada he has another road test to pass next year (one year in between the two road tests). I've told him when we have DC he is teaching them to drive as I can't handle the stress again haha.

Oh god ! I'm still having therapy having taken DD out twice .

I was hopeless and couldn't stop screeching if she got too near the kerb or other cars .

The final straw was down a dual carriageway when she picked up speed and the magnetic L plates flew off !!!

She did pass first time though no thanks to me !

DD's just gone out for a driving assessment with an instructor, in our car, with DH in the back.

First lesson 5 months ago was a disaster, so DH has been teaching her since then.

Fingers crossed she comes back a) not petrified, and b) with some useful and encouraging feedback.

Yay. It went well.

A little late coming to this thread..someone asked if their child passed without practise - my DS1 did as we didn't buy a smaller suitable car until he passed. He had about 30 lessons I should think and passed first time. His driving was very good and was quickly taking himself off to football matches in far flung places which took a bit of getting used to! DS2 is now learning and I take him out.. The first few times was a little scary but now he doesn't need any input from me and he often drives his friends home - with me supervising of course. He has had about 15 lessons and has booked test for early Feb - doesn't want to rush as desperate to pass first time like his brother

Three parties for 16/17 year olds this year at our house.. No alcohol supplied other than a few beers for my son - as advised by him "they'll bring their own anyway". Lots and lots of soft drinks however which were used as mixers or between drinks. Likewise if he goes to parties we get him a some beers or ciders. Would rather know what he is drinking and so far he has been very sensible. The worst party I've heard about was an 18th when the parents left out multiple bottles of spirits for the kid's (many still 16/17) to help themselves to - this along with what they had also brought with them caused some very drunk teenagers' - and the dad was a policeman???!!! My DS wasn't there but I would have been very annoyed if he was and came home in the state some did..

Wrong thread above - obviously not driving related!

Yes but only for 20 mins at a time if there is an empty car park or down the country road.

Going to ask if he wants lessons but his not expressed much interest my 17 year old and the two older ones can both drive

I don't think it's the norm but I taught my daughter to drive on private land so she could hit the ground running so to speak when she had her first lesson just after her 17th birthday. Instructors like them green I'm told, but my daughter wanted to do it that way.

She drove everywhere after that and I always felt fine with her, apart from once, which was very hairy.

One thing I would recommend for those that feel they need it is, get the driving test routes off the net for your local test centre. They're not 100% accurate anymore, but we did drive round the routes a lot. Not doing complete routes as the instructors can deviate, but I just got her familiar with the area as it's a few miles away from us.

It really helped, she knew the roads on the day and passed first time. It was so important to her as she is disabled and all her NC friends were passing first time.

I meant the examiners can deviate

Quick update. DS1 passed first time this week. Phew.

Looks like those hours paid off. I am very proud.But vv anxious for the next bit.

How's everyone else doing?

I'd say this is a good practice for any child eager enough to learn to drive. I remember that I was very anxious when I got my licence and I was so afraid to drive the car. Thank goodness my family stepped in and accompanied me on some of my first rides. I guess it must have been stressful for them, but knowing how much it helped me, I am willing to offer it myself anyday.

I am currently doing this with DD4, 15. She gets lessons in school (in the US) and she is supposed to work on certain skills every week with a parent or some other adult driver. We are supposed to spend some minimum number of hours together in the car but I am not pushing that if she has homework or if I am busy.

Once she passes her course in school (it includes driving simulator, classroom lessons and driving time in the school's fleet of driver ed cars) she will have to log 50 hours of driving in all sorts of conditions and on all sorts of roads including highways, with an adult driver (me) before she can present herself at the DMV and get her licence, which will be provisional until she is 18 iirc from her other siblings' experience.

I realised when I went through all of this with her four older siblings that 50 hours is a lot of driving, and weirdly it coincided with the onset of grey hair for me.

The initial weeks or even months when it is all new to them tend to go fine. They are willing to obey instructions and are nervous enough to drive really carefully. It is only when they gain a bit of fools' confidence after passing the school course that everything goes awry, and they try to convince me that they know everything there is to be known about driving down a narrow street with cars parked on either side, many of which have their mirrors sticking out....

clunk< still looking at you, DD2

Congrats to your DS!

Thanks.

The US way sounds brilliant. Is insurance a fortune over there too?

With my particular policy, the DCs can practice without any increase in premium in my car as long as I am driving with them, up until they get their licence.

After that, the premium increases a bit but it's not exorbitant, on my policy anyway. I believe as long as I am the policy holder and paying the premium, and named as the primary driver, with DCs added as additional drivers, the cost is not too much. However, if and when the DCs buy their own cars and first start paying, they will face higher premiums - not terrible but still higher as they are fairly untried drivers still even in their early 20s. Insurance companies take a good few factors into account when setting premiums including whether you graduated from university, so premiums can be higher or lower depending on the individual.

When they get their licences at 16.5 or whatever, my insurance company (and I know many others too) offer a discount for excellent grades in school. You have to produce a transcript and send it to the company to claim the discount, but it's worth the hassle.

That sounds like a much fairer system math. I like the sound of all that. DS1 would be okay under that sort of scheme.

Except maybe the thought of DS2 (15) driving. They do Under 17 courses here but they are £40 an hour.

thats great he passed first time sb, ds1 was the same....and the thought of ds2 diving makes me as well...

we've only got one car so we put ds1 on our insurance with a black box fitted {GPS thingy that notices how the car is being driven}, he paid half the insurance himself but we pay for the petrol and the car..