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Some states issue permits at 14 (though they're states with a whole lot of land and not a lot of people), so it doesn't seem so strange for a 13 year old to get a little tightly controlled practice in a wide open space. My sister let me drive around an empty parking lot when I was 14 and I was too afraid to go more than 10 or 15 mph, not exactly a road warrior.
My 13-yo drives around our farm. Its a necessity as its very spread out and theres lots of work to be done. He does fine.
You'd be amazed how responsible kids can be when they are......given some responsibility. They aren't china dolls, unless you make them that way.
If yall don't like it....I don't particularly care. Go picket about Happy Meal toys or something equally important
Parents here think it is okay for 13 and 14 year olds (and sometimes 12 year olds) to drive on a county highway (the "main" street in our tiny town) by themselves or with friends. We have seen so many close calls with these kids--pulling out in front of people, backing up without looking and one almost hit my husband while he was walking. If you have farm or ranch land to drive on, great. But stay off the roads. In at these this case, the rights of the many far outweigh the rights of the one (especially one that is not even an adult).
Why not, I have plenty of friends who learned driving when they were plenty of years below getting a drivers license, some as early as 9 or 10. Their parents would let them drive some cars that were gonna be scrapped on the yard anyway and just go nut's with it in the outback.
I do agree that they should be kept off public roads, but out in the middle of nowhere I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed some fun.
I've only read the first page or two of responses but I have rto say I'm shocked at the number of people who admit they know it is illegal yet their kids drive without a license.
Will you let your kids pick and choose which law they want to obey when they are older? I think it sets a bad precedent . Yes I know many kids drive illegally in rural areas but it does not make it right.
I don't see anything wrong with a parent or trusted adult who teaches a young teen to drive. That's a perfectly valid way to learn, and I think it's fine on one's own property or in a big, empty parking lot.
Driving around on the road unsupervised, of course not.
But does the law distinguish between public and private property? Isn't that what a learner's permit is for? To learn how to drive with licensed adult in the car? I think every state has some sort of learner's permit program for a year before you can take the exam at 16 or whatever the age is in your state.
I was actually kind of shocked to find this out but my daughter has a friend whos mother lets her 13 year old drive the car! I actually saw the video they made- and while it is in an empty parking lot- it seems rather funny that the mother would actually allow a 13 year old to take the wheel of a car. I have never known any kid that drove a car until they were at least 15 or so. Do you think this is OK or too young?
My 12 year old drives under controlled circumstances.
I've only read the first page or two of responses but I have rto say I'm shocked at the number of people who admit they know it is illegal yet their kids drive without a license.
Will you let your kids pick and choose which law they want to obey when they are older? I think it sets a bad precedent . Yes I know many kids drive illegally in rural areas but it does not make it right.
I don't get to "let" my kids do or not do anything and less so by a lot when they are older. I hope that they will be wise enough to choose which consequences they are willing accept in the laws that they break. But in the final analysis, I hope their judgement and ethical code don't rely on some suit at the state house to tell them what to do.
I thought I had posted in this thread but I guess not.
I took driving lessons at my Texas high school when I was 13 years old. The town had about 28,000 people. I was given a "beginner's permit" at age 13 and a real license at age 14. The beginner's permit allowed me to drive with a licensed driver sitting beside me. I bought my own car at age 15, a nearly mint condition, 9-year old 1956 Ford Fairlane for $300.
We've allowed our grand daughter, age 13, to drive here on the dirt roads near our Texas farm. She's now 15 and a fairly good driver although obviously she is not licensed yet.
Times, people and car prices have definitely changed.
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