Student Driving Guide

Written by Ashley Trinh, Staff writer

High school is a time of challenging classes, new friends, heartbreaks, relationships, drama and, for many of us, the dreaded task of becoming a driver.

Transitioning from carpooling with your mom to carpooling with your friends is great, but the actual process of obtaining that coveted plastic card is a lot of work. Ann Dinh (‘10) says, “Getting your [driver\'s] license isn\’t the easiest thing, but when you have it, it\’s definitely worth the while.”

I recently went through the tricky and stressful process of getting my license and have a few tips for those planning to hit the road.

First, you need to sign up for a Driver\’s Education course which teaches you the rules and methods of driving. A Driver\’s Ed course can be taken online or in a classroom. Online classes are a good option because, unlike classroom classes, you can learn when your schedule permits, but in a classroom, you have someone to motivate you.

After completing the didactic course, the next step is taking a permit test. This test can be taken at any DMV for $28. Make sure to take the permit test within a year of completing the course or else you will be charged with a $300 fee. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

To sign up for the permit test, contact your local DMV by phone and set up an appointment. You\’ll need to bring prescription eyeglasses if you have them, a birth certificate, and a certificate of completion of a Driver\’s Education course to the DMV on your test day.

Once you pass the written permit test, the next step is signing up for behind-the-wheel driving lessons. You can sign up for these lessons at any local driving school. The lessons are completely hands-on and you finally get the chance to drive behind the wheel—with an instructor. Make sure to have a parent allow you to practice behind the wheel, too. Without practice, the lessons won\’t do you any good.

Angela Nguyen (‘10) says, “I didn\’t practice much and now I can\’t even drive with my parents because I get too scared and feel like I\’m going to mess up. So I have to take lessons over again.”

Six months after you have received your permit, safely completed four behind-the-wheel driving lessons and practiced with an adult, you are ready to take your driving test. The California DMV\’s website is great for preparing for the driver\’s test and also includes practice tests as well the California Driver\’s Handbook.

Finally, the most important piece of advice from me is: Do not procrastinate!

Theresa Tran (‘09) says, “I\’m a senior and I still haven\’t gotten my license yet!”

The climactic end to the long process is passing the driving test and coming home to a brand new Mercedes waiting in the driveway! Well maybe not, but one can always dream, right?