| Guess I'm lucky--in our state you have to be 17 to get your license, and then you have a lot of restrictions for the first year. Beyond that--just because a 16 or 17 year old has a license, DOESN'T mean they have free rein to take the family vehicle (at least it doesn't to me). Even though dd had her license we STILL drove her to work. Even when she went to college--until she was able to buy her own car--I dropped her off. Several reasons--no way am I giving up my car so a teen can go cruising around the countryside. While the law may say a 17 year old is old enough to drive--it ALSO says that a parent is financially responsible if that teen does any damage with the car. Lastly, and most importantly, just practicing for a month or 2 and passing the driver's test does NOT convey expert driver's status on anyone. I felt my dd needed more practice than that. Even though she had her license, it was a long time before she was allowed to take the car by herself--she often drove when one of us was in the car with her, but we didn't just hand over our keys. It's your choice to do as you wish, but if your finances are tight, as you imply--you may want to sit down with your insurance agent and discuss just how much responsibility you have if your daughter causes damage, or one of her friends gets hurt while riding with her, or if one of her friends borrows your car (with or without her permission--it happens frequently). Just make sure what your responsibilities are as the parent of a driver who is still not a legal adult. |
