Many people’s lives as drivers begin at fifteen or sixteen. Fifteen is the age at which many people get their driver’s permits and begin one of the most exciting parts of young adulthood. By sixteen, life totally changes with the acquiring of an actual driver’s license.
This is the time when teenagers begin to taste almost true freedom. They get to explore the open roads, drive themselves (and maybe their friends) to school, the mall, and generally travel wherever their heart’s desire according to rules set by their parents.
This time period is a dream for teenagers and young adults. If they’re so lucky to have their own car, it’s the first taste they get of being an adult (aside from bills and meal prep, and all that other boring stuff that comes later).
However, that’s not how everyone’s driving journey starts. Many people wait until they’re seventeen or even eighteen before they get their driver’s license. Plenty of people (especially those who grew up in cities like New York City) just don’t bother learning. Whether there’s great public transportation where you’re from, you don’t feel the need, or you aren’t allowed, many people don’t see a driver’s license as an absolute essential in their lives.
However, things change. Perhaps there’s an urge to take a month-long road trip sometime in your older age. Perhaps you move to a town or city in your later years where you have to drive yourself to and from. Perhaps you decide that now is as good a time as any.
If you never got your driver’s license as a teenager, it’s not too late to do so. It’s actually a fun challenge you can give yourself in a time of stagnancy or even boredom. Driving is a way to open up a ton of freedom into your life, and you deserve to have that chance!
There are plenty of ways in which you can prepare yourself for the driving test. Just make sure that you do your research, find a sufficient driving school, find a car to practice with, and keep your mind open to all the possibilities of your new life as a driver. This is one of the most exciting ways in which you can introduce a part two to your life!
Why do you want to drive?
This is an important question you should ask yourself before you learn to drive and actually start driving. Think about your reasoning for wanting to learn to drive. Have you found yourself in a position in which you just want to learn something new? Has getting from place to place become more difficult for you upon moving to a new town or in general? Have you started to plan a trip in which it’s essential that you know how to drive? Once you realize the level of importance involved in your decision to learn to drive, you can better assess what your timeline will need to be, as well as how valuable the license will be to you in the long run.
Any decision you make that will end up taking weeks or months to achieve shouldn’t be taken lightly. Really explore your options and do some research about what driving schools are local to you, as well as how easy it should be, or the regulations around getting a driver’s license in your particular state.
If you’re an international expat, then you might have to jump through more hoops when you get a license, as opposed to American citizens. Look into the particular regulation in your state for international residents before you begin the process, so you know what to look out for.
Figure out your timeline.
Once you figure out what you have access to in your particular state, you’ll be well on your way to figuring out how much time it will take for you to get your license. For many, it takes a few months to achieve because of driving lessons, waiting times, processing times, and test preparation. You’ll also need to know how this waiting period will affect any of your short-term and long-term plans in relation to why you need the driver’s license.
Whose car will you use?
This is one of the most important things you have to consider when you’re learning to drive. If you have a family member, partner, or friend who’s willing to let you borrow their car, then you’re in good shape. If not, you might have to explore other options. If there’s an acquaintance, colleague, or neighbor who’s willing to let you borrow their car, that might be the next best thing. It doesn’t quite matter what kind of car you use, or if it has https://shop.revologycars.com/collections/coyote-engine-swap-kit, as long as it’s reliable.
Since you can’t actually purchase a car until you have a license, that option is out. Also, driving without a license is a major offense, so you can’t do that either. If you already have your permit (which you can get from passing a test provided by the DMV, which will permit you to drive with a chaperone of a certain age), then you’ll have a much easier (and legal) time borrowing a car. You can also make use of the cars used in driving schools.
Find a suitable driving school.
Once you have all your ducks in a row in terms of your reasoning, your permit, the car you’ll borrow, and how long to plan for, you need to start the actual driving part!
There are plenty of local driving schools that provide the training you need for the inevitable (and sometimes, nerve-wracking) driving test. Usually, you’ll need three hour-long lessons with a licensed driving instructor. The cool thing about these lessons is that your instructor will be able to take over if you get scared or make a dangerous move.