Before You Start to Drive
How Can You Prepare to Drive?
Do Your Homework
- Learn about Pennsylvania's licensing process, which has special rules for teens. Designed to gradually develop your driving skills, the program could take a year or more to complete.
- Learn about the financial and legal responsibilities associated with driving, especially crashes.
- Talk to your parents. They have lots of driving experience to share with you.
Be a Smart Passenger
- Always wear your safety belt.
- Observe drivers, roadway conditions and traffic control devices.
- Ask your parents questions about decisions they make behind the wheel.
- Even if the law allows you to ride with teen drivers, avoid riding with your friends until they become safer, more experienced drivers.
- Be a helpful passenger. Don’t distract drivers or encourage them to take risks.
If you’re the passenger of a friend who is texting on a cell phone, speeding, or otherwise behaving recklessly, speak up. Tell your friend to drive safely or ask to be dropped off.
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Maintain good grades. Once you get your license, you will need auto insurance. Most insurance companies in Pennsylvania offer lower rates for students who have a “B” or higher grade average, so your good grades could help your parents control insurance costs.
Keep reading. By visiting this site and looking around, you’ve already taken a first step to get ready to drive, so keep reading!
Additional resources:
- Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) – Learn more about the licensing process.
- DMV Practice Questions – Take this sample test to determine if you’re ready to take the state driving test.
- Parent-Teen Driving Agreement – Signing a formal agreement with your parents helps in many ways. .
- Becoming the New Driver – Designed for teens, this brochure outlines tips and responsibilities of being a safe driver.
- Driver-ZED – Offered by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Driver-ZED is a computer-based program to help you practice driving on your PC.
