My son got his license......

[sharon]

Please say a prayer that my son keeps safe in his new venture of driving. He got his license on Thursday. I get so nervous every time he leaves the house. I don't remember being this worried when my daughter got her license. I guess it's just cause boys seem to have more problems with accidents and tickets???

It's such a bittersweet time. You want them to have their independence, but you want to keep them safe.

We got him an old clunker to drive and he seems to be happy with it. Of course the radio is not good enough for him, but he'll just have to save some money so that he can buy one himself. We weren't gonna get him a car, but then found out that we can save quite a bit of money on car insurance if he has his own old clunker rather than driving one of our better cars.

Gosh!!!! They grow up so fast!

It's just so strange to stand at the door and watch him drove away.

 

[Leeana]

Dont worry

Im not a parent, but i got my license about a little over a year ago. I always imagined staying out till 1am, going wherever i wanted ext. But once i got my license i didnt do as much as i thought i would.

Make him start paying for gas ...that'll keep him out of trouble if you have any doughts!

:

Its just as strange for us pulling out of the driveway for the first time as it is for you to watch us.

:

Leeana

 

[Steph_D]

Oh Sharon! I'll be praying for him!

I agree that making him pay for his own gas might help him to be responsible with the car. If y'all want to help him out, just pay for the gas to get him to school and back, maybe

:

 

[Firefall]

Hi,

my son has his permit and is currently working on getting his 50 hrs done. He does scare the $*it out of me........LOL :new_shocked: My daughter was also a little more cautious and I think a little better driver, but shhhhhhh, don't tell my son!

:

 

[sharon]

Oh, he already has to pay for his own gas. He can't drive to school because they only let seniors drive. The school has parking permits and kind of like a lottery to give them out. They just don't have enough parking spaces for all the employees and driving students.

Firefall- I do think girls are much more cautious. When my daughter had just her permit, I was only nervous for a little while, then that passed. Once she got her license, I always made her call me once she got where she was going. Now that she has been driving for a couple years, I am very comfortable riding with her driving. More comfortable even than riding with my hubby. My son on the other hand......I guess it's just a guy thing, but they always seem to be a bit slower on the brakes than girls. He has no fear and one time drove under this really narrow bridge with a huge dump truck coming the other way. I would have stopped and let the truck through first.

 

[Sterling]

Sharon, he'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Such a changeable time in his life...and yours!!! So exciting for him, and scarey for you!

:

 

[Marty]

My oldest 18, got his license and a car a few months ago. Wrecked the car within two weeks so now he has nothing to drive unless I let him use my truck. That does not happen often.

I can sympathize with you so very much.

I was a complete basket case everytime he went out on the road.

I am very happy that he has to wait to drive again.

I know that probably isn't right, but I can't help it.

I feel he is just not safe driving.

I since then, got him a little St. Christopher medal to wear and one in his car too for protection.

I really do feel your pain.

 

[nootka]

It is tough to let them go. One thing I feel fairly confident about and that is that my 16 year old son is a good driver. I had him drive with me from the time he was about twelve years old (on the beach, when noone else was around) so he could get familiar with the way the vehicle operated and felt.

Then, once he got his learner's permit, we did the 100 hours quickly, and much more by the time he was able to get his license. Our state restricts the license for the first six months, but I still feel like he's much better at driving than I was as a new driver, for his experience.

He also has seen firsthand what an accident will do to a vehicle (we have a friend with a tow truck and a wrecking/impound yard, and he let us look over lots of wrecks/different outcomes to get a feel for what can happen). Still, I think there is a feeling of "it can't happen to me" and you have to know that they will grow through it.

Are there any safe driving courses your son can take in your area? They might help him feel more confident behind the wheel.

One thing is that I've been with my son when we've had some near misses due to other's mistakes and his responses were right on. He has two cars, one with airbags and one without, though he drives the one without to save himself gas money (it's broken, now, though, so he has to drive the "limo" (our Lincoln TownCar Stretch) and it's big enough he shouldn't get hurt in it.). I don't know what the answer is, just feel for ya as I still worry even with as much confidence as I feel in his abilities.

Liz M.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Oh Sharon, I empathize totally. Shain is 15 this year so I am already thinking ahead BUT here in dirt road land I have the advantage of taking this year to get him behind the wheel and teach him a lot. When Glacia turned 16 she had been working since she was 15 and had saved her $$. Her birthday falls in DEc also but I insisted she wait until spring to get her license and then she bought a Chevy pickup! She now is 21 and has had 3 accidents, all icy roads. Thank God this year she pays her own insurance! I'll say a prayer his guardian angel rides shotgun.