Ask Lemmy

It's funny people talking about how things are done in the U.S. and giving different answers.

It would sort of be like saying how it works in the E.U., then describing how the process works in France.

In Pennsylvania, you have to be 16 years old. Initial permit and 4 year license costs $45.50

You need a physical and a form filled out by the doctor.

You need an adult to fill out a form, then you study the drivers manual. When you're ready you go to the DMV, get a vision test, and take a knowledge test. If you pass, you're issued a permit that allows you to drive with an adult driver supervising you.

You have to wait six months before you take the road test. You're supposed to drive for 65 hours driving at different times, in different weather, different traffic, different roads, etc. However, it's on the honor system. When you take the driving test, the driver who had been supervising you fills out a form stating that you've completed the 65 hours. I suspect the vast majority of parents just lie.

When you're ready for the road test, you discover that now the true challenge begins: scheduling the test. They tell you to schedule your road test for six months after you get the permit, but I can't imagine anyone would be able to get 65 hours of driving done in 6 months. So, if you can't manage that, you have to schedule the appointment when you can, and that is another miserable task. The DMV open appointments at 4am, and they're all taken by 4:01am.

We managed to get our oldest tested at e DMV. He failed during the parallel parking because he didn't realize he could back out and try again. The examiner told him after he failed that he could have tried up to three times. When he retested, he passed.

When we were going through this with our next child, we paid a driving school to administer the test. The price included a 1 hour refresher course in one of their cars, then another instructor took him out for the test.

In my case, I did do the 65 hours driving with two of my kids, and it was brutal. It's tough finding that much time. For my last child, the pandemic hit as she was at about 20 hours. I had to work longer hours, and it was tougher finding time to drive with her. We ended up renewing her permit, then eventually had to re-take the knowledge test and start over.

By this time, she was over 18, and I wanted her to have her license so she could drive at college. I took her to a driving school. I described the situation, and they recommended they take her out to see how she does. After the evaluation, they gave her a list of things to practice, and we spent a few more weeks driving, then she went to the school to take a road test and passed. I never got to 65 hours with her, but by the time she got her license she no longer had to do the 65 hours because she was over 18.

If you're under 18, you get a junior license. You're not allowed to drive between 11pm and 5am, and you aren't allowed to have more than one passenger who is under 18 unless they are family. After six months, you're allowed to have up to three non-family passengers under 18.

When you turn 18, the junior license becomes an unrestricted license.

Edit: forgot to mention: my dad (age 85) told me that when he got his license, he took the knowledge test, passed, immediately took the road test, passed, and got his license the same day. That would have been 1954. Of course, he had been stealing his dad's car for joy rides since he was 13, so he had some experience driving.