Learners Permits

My son is getting to the age for obtaining a drivers learners permit. My question is, does he need drivers education prior to getting his permit? Do they offer Drivers Education in Loudoun County High Schools? All input and information from anyone who's already been through this with their kids would be appreciated.

 

lol, when I went thru the system in Westmoreland in '88, driver's ed was a part of Health class. I'm sure its changed by now.

 

Homer, I know. When I was in high school, it was pretty much mandatory that we take it. The school also had a car, and we had a certain amount of "driving time" also. I don't think our high schools have this, here in Loudoun.

 

Yep, thats pretty much the way I remember it. Around here all I see are these Driving Schools. And this is where that stupid habit people have of keeping 3 car length space in front of you at lights is coming from!

I plan on having driving bootcamp with my kids when they are of age. My Dad made me drive from here to Jersey before I took the test.

 

10th grade PE has Drivers Ed. If your child takes his learner's permit test before taking Drivers Ed, I recommend you getting at least the book from DMV so he can learn the rules that will be on the written test. The Driving School that you see around are for the 10 hours that they have to take "behind the wheel" after you have certified that you have taken them out driving for 40 hours. The 10 hours is like a constant test to make sure they've been taught everything. So make sure you forget all the bad habits before you start teaching your kids!

Been there twice before with my girls, getting ready for round 3 this summer with my son.

 

Cool! Is it mandatory that 10 hrs behind the wheel be done in drivers school?

 

I"m pretty sure it does have to be done in driver's school. They need to have a certificate that goes with their learners' permit that lets them drive on their own until they go to court to get their real licence. And that certificate may help get you a break in car insurance. The school district offers the 10 hour driving course for a cheaper price than the private places, but the wait list is longer. I've also found the private places very easy to work around kids' sports schedules, etc.

 

Maybe some people leave three car lengths of space for the same reason I sometimes do: when the driver in front of us is blowing cigarette smoke out the window! The smoke goes right in our vent and makes us gag if we don't leave some space.

 

I wonder if they still show "DEATH ON THE HIGHWAY!" or whatever those horrible 70's films were called.

 

Audrey thats a real selfish reason to tie up turning lane space. Rool up your windows and turn on the AC. I'm not saying the smoker is correct either, just that if everyone left 20 ft between cars no one would ever make a light. There are to many cars now for this practice to ba acceptable.

 

Of course I roll up my windows, and I turn OFF the vent & A/C because it seems to even come in through that. There's nothing you can do to keep it from smelling like the smoker's sitting right there in the passenger seat of my car. I'm sure the smokers with their windows down have no idea what they're doing to the car behind them, ugh!

But I want to get places as much as you do...when the light changes I move on up.

 

I remember those movies fondly. They compared the human head in an automobile accident travelling at 55 mph to a pumpkin being dropped from 20 feet. Splat. Scared me enough to always wear my seat belt.