It’s an exciting moment! Our teen has passed their knowledge exam, and is officially a permitted driver! We snap a picture of them with their permit, and they hop behind the wheel to drive us home.
But wait!
- The DMV states the permit is not valid until their first behind-the-wheel training with a licensed instructor. What?! This restriction is an often overlooked, but important step in a teen’s journey to becoming a licensed driver. Families find it helpful to work with a driving school that offers Driver’s Education/permit as well as behind-the-wheel instruction so they have help understanding the next steps along the entire process.
Okay, fantastic, now our teen just needs 6 hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor and then they can get their license. Can we schedule those this week?
Hold up another moment!
- The DMV requires six months between the time a driver receives their permit and their driver’s license.
- In addition to the six hours behind the wheel with the licensed instructor, the teen must also drive a minimum of 50 hours with their guardian, 10 of which must be at night.
Many families find it helpful to work with a driving school that offers larger behind-the-wheel instruction packages of 10 – 20 hours so their teen can practice more with an instructor prior to driving with their parent. The six to twenty hours are scheduled one two-hour lesson at a time over the course of the six-month timeframe.
Excellent, our teen passed their behind-the-wheel exam at the DMV and is now a licensed driver! We are so excited they will be able to drive themselves to and from their activities and take their sibling(s) to school.
One last caution!
During the first twelve months they have their license:
- Minors cannot drive between 11 pm and 5 am.
- Minors cannot drive with passengers under the age of 20 unless a parent/guardian or another CA-licensed driver over the age of 25 is in the vehicle.
Exceptions to these final restrictions do exist, but guardians are advised to proceed with caution as teens often need much more practice making wise decisions in the year after they obtain their license. Should a family need an exception, the minor must carry a note signed by their guardian stating they have permission to operate the vehicle outside of these parameters.
Teen Road to Safety – Temecula is proud to offer complete concierge service:
- Online Driver’s Education (Use PROMO CODE: DRIVERSED50 for a discount on any package which includes Driver’s Ed & BTW)
- One-on-one behind-the-wheel instruction packages of 6 to 20 hours with expert law enforcement officers as instructors
- Advanced Training Course hosted once a month in South Orange County
Behind the wheel teen safety is our passion and purpose, and we will gladly hold your hand every step of the way.
For more information and pricing:
Visit: www.teenroadtosafety.com or https://www.facebook.com/trtstemecula
Email: temecula@teenroadtosafety.com
Call: 855-81-DRIVE
Voice or text: 951-516-1452
