Is Your Teen Really Ready to Drive? 4 Considerations

 

When your youngster is a teenager and wants to drive, it's important that they understand an important concept.  While driving may be a teen's rite of passage, it shouldn't be considered a right, but rather a privilege, which must be earned.  As a parent, what you want to ask yourself is, at their current stage of development, is your teen ready to take on the responsibility involved with driving.

While age is a primary factor in determining who can drive, it's by no means the only factor.  It doesn't matter if your son or daughter is old enough to drive legally if they're not mature enough and responsible enough to handle what's required to drive a large motorized vehicle capable of causing death and destruction in the wrong hands.

Teen years can be a very challenging time in many ways, including:

• Learning to deal with emotional stress
• Academic stress
• Peer pressure
• Problems with parents

Some teens may be capable of handling the responsibility of driving at age 15, while others may be lacking in necessary judgement even at age 18 and beyond.  As the parent, this is on you to determine, keeping in mind that one of your prime duties is to keep your child safe from harm.

North Carolina Teen Drivers

The State of NC has one of the safest and most comprehensive licensing systems for teen drivers of any state.  It's a three-level graduated system that allows teens aged 15 to get a learner's permit after fulfilling several requirements.  See those requirements here.  Then the teen works his or her way up toward receiving a full provisional license.

Considerations to Help Determine Your Teen's Readiness To Drive

1. Does your teen consciously know what's going on around him and act/react accordingly?  Does he have good peripheral vision and the ability to predict the behavior of others?
2. Driving competency must include the ability to be alert and tuned into one's own surroundings; to be a defensive driver, immediately reacting to all situations involving other drivers' behaviors.
3. How well does your teen follow rules and regulations?  Do they respect authority and keep their word?  A teen who defies authority and can't follow rules might not be ready to take on the responsibility of driving.
4. Does your teen have good manners and a good general attitude?