You probably got your learner’s permit to prepare for the road test and get your driver’s license. However, you may not be able to drive until you are 18, which means you have limited time to practice. You can drive with your parents as long as they have a licensed driver in the car and it is not a Learner, Intermediate or Prove of Competence Check test. They should also have signed forms that they won’t on their license at any time during the drive. If these conditions are met then yes, you can drive without a permit with your parents. If you meet all of these criteria then proceed to read below to find out more information about driving without a permit with your parents
Can I Drive Without A Permit With My Parents?
In some states, if you are under the age of 18 and have your parent or legal guardian with you, you can drive without a permit. It is important to remember that if your parents are not legally allowed to drive themselves, they cannot take you on a road trip without a driver’s license. You could be stopped by police and cited for the violation of this law.
What Does The Law Say About Driving Without A Permit?
- You can drive without a permit if your parents are not legally allowed to drive themselves.
- The police can stop you and cite you for the violation of this law.
- If you have your friend as a passenger, they have to have their own driver’s license too.
- If you are over 18 and take your parent or legal guardian out of state, they can be charged with driving without a valid license in that state as well.
- In some states, the police may arrest both of you if they see either one of you driving without a valid license or permit while the other is riding in the car with them (as long as there is more than one passenger).
- If your parent is under 18 and in possession of alcohol, they can be charged for underage drinking even if it was not their fault (or even if it was their fault). This does not apply to adults under 21 years old, however!
- In some states, if at all possible, talk to your parents about taking an online driver’s education course before getting behind the wheel! (I know this is a lot to think about, but it can be the difference between getting a ticket and not.)
- If you do happen to get stopped by the police and they ask for your driver’s license, make sure that you give them yours, not your parent’s.
- If you are under 18 and driving with a parent or guardian who is intoxicated, your parent or legal guardian can be charged with underage drinking (as well as driving under the influence) as well!
- If they are under 18 and driving without a valid license in another state, they may be arrested in that state as well!
- The police can stop you and cite you for violating this law at any time of day or night since it is considered an open-ended law that can be enforced at any time of day or night.
- The police can also stop you to check if you have been drinking alcohol while driving with your parents or guardian in the car with you. They will ask to see if there is any alcohol left on your breath when they stop you. If there is alcohol on your breath, the officer may ask for consent for a test which will show whether or not there was alcohol in your system at the time of driving (and even if it was too early for it to show up on a test).
There Are Requirements For Driving With Parents
- You must be at least 19 years of age to drive without a license.
- You must have your parents’ permission.
- You must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while driving.
- You must not drive at night without proper lighting for nighttime driving (lights, headlight, etc.).
- You must not get a speeding ticket more than once every 12 months (in other words, don’t speed more than once every 12 months).
- If you do get a speeding ticket and you are under 21, you will be charged with being under 21 and having an expired license! In many states, this is a felony and can lead to jail time! So please don’t speed!
- The police can stop anyone they want at any time of day or night to check if they have been drinking alcohol while driving with their parents or guardian in the car with them (this is also true for teens who are intoxicated). If they find that there is alcohol on your breath when they stop you, they may ask for consent for a test which will show whether or not there was alcohol in your system at the time of driving (and even if it was too early for it to show up on a test). Just because some states allow this does not mean that other states do! Check out my other blog post about some states where this is illegal.
- If you are under 18 and driving with your parents or guardian, you will also get a ticket for being under the age of 21 and having an expired license. This can be a misdemeanor or felony depending on the state.
- You may also get a ticket for speeding if you are under 18 and driving with your parents or guardian in the car with you (this is also true for teens who are intoxicated).
- If you are over 18 and driving without your parents’ permission, there is no penalty for speeding, but there will be a penalty for driving with alcohol in your system! So please don’t speed!
- 11. What about underage drinking? If you are under 21 and drinking alcohol, it is illegal to drive if you have been drinking alcohol at all while in the car (even if it was too early to show up on a test). However, it is not illegal to drink just before getting into the car with your parents or guardian. So if you plan on drinking before getting into the car with your parents or guardian, make sure that this does not occur after midnight!
- 12. These laws vary from state to state and they can change as well as what type of penalties can be charged (misdemeanor/felony) as well as what kind of test can be done at the roadside if pulled over (blood/breathalyzer test only). Remember that each state is different so please check out my other blog post about some states where this is illegal. Also, remember that these laws could change at any time so please do not rely on this information to get you through a ticket (or worse) in the future!
Tips For Safe Driving With Your Parent(S)
1. Always buckle up. It’s a good idea to have your parent(s) sit in the back seat so that they can keep an eye on you.
2. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep an eye out for people walking and crossing the street, as well as any vehicles that may be coming up behind you.
3. When you are stopped at a red light, please do not roll down the window and talk to people who are standing on the other side of the street! This is dangerous because if your parent(s) is driving, he or she will not be able to see you clearly and may hit their brakes suddenly causing a crash!
4. When driving with your parent(s), please remember this tip: “If you don’t know what’s going on, stay in the car.” This means when your parent(s) doesn’t explain something to you (like why a light is red or why police are directing traffic), just stay in the car. If something happens and it’s too late to do anything about it, just call 911 and tell them where you are located so they can come to get you safely!
5. Stay away from intersections with stop signs or traffic lights that have yellow arrows with black circles (this means no turn). These signs mean that cars must wait until all other cars have cleared this intersection before proceeding through it, so stay back and wait for other cars to clear before proceeding through an intersection like these: If you are driving on the street, please make sure you stay in the right lane and do not speed! This is a dangerous practice.
Conclusion
Now that you know what the law says about driving without a permit, you can decide if this is the right option for you. Driving with your parent(s) gives you valuable experience, and you don’t have to wait until you are 18. However, it’s important to keep your parent(s) informed about your progress and let them know what you need to do to be a safe driver. Let them know when you have mastered different aspects of driving so that you can take the driving test and get your driver’s license.
