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Can you practice driving without a permit?

My eldest child turns 16 soon and is begging me to teach her how to drive. Can I start teaching her before she gets her permit if I’m in the car?

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Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
We all need to learn somehow, right? However, legally speaking, it is illegal to drive on public roads or highways without a valid driver’s permit or license. Learning to drive under the supervision of a fully licensed adult on private property—say, an empty parking lot—is more of a gray area. In such a case, double check your local laws to be sure.
Under no circumstances, however, can someone without a permit or driver’s license drive on public roads or highways. Here’s why:
  • Legal age: Most states require drivers to be at least 16 years of age to legally drive (the legal age in some states is 18 and 14 in a handful of other states). If your 16-year-old is pulled over by police while learning how to drive, they can be issued multiple tickets and fines—even if they’re just learning.
  • Liability: Without a permit, your teen isn’t insured. If they are involved in an accident or damage property, they can be held liable.
  • Delayed driving eligibility: Getting caught practicing without a permit can result in a teen’s driving privileges being suspended or revoked—this means a delay in when they’ll be able to get their driving permit, let alone a full license.
  • Difficulty finding Insurance: Once they do get their license, it may be difficult to find affordable insurance based on an ill-fated attempt to learn to drive without a permit.
We here at Jerry know how exciting it is to begin driving. But remember, driving without being licensed is illegal—wait until your teenage driver is of age in your state and with a driver’s permit in hand before they begin practicing.
When that teen driver of yours does get their license, they’ll need
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Happy learning!
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