Getting your driver’s permit is a rite of passage for many young people. It means that you’re about to embark on the next stage in life-becoming an independent adult. Whether you’re getting your driver’s permit for the first time or renewing it, there are some important things you need to know before applying. Here is what you need to do.
Study Up
Study up on the rules of road and traffic stops. You will not be tested on how to put chains or flares away after a major snowstorm in Alaska, but you might want to know what those things are just in case something happens! Know your rights as well as the limits of police power during a stop. Whether it’s studying a particular section of your driver’s manual or reading one chapter in that book about driving laws every teen needs to have, don’t expect to pass if you haven’t prepared at all!
Don’t know which chapters are most important? Ask an instructor for help with this. It may seem like common sense, but make sure to take good notes and ask questions when necessary so everything will be fresh in your mind before test day comes along.
Also, try doing some research into state laws regarding drivers’ licenses to see if there is any reason why you should have one other than being able to drive yourself around – such as moving out from under your parents’ roof before legally allowed at age 18 without supervision by authorities.
Take A Written Test
When it comes to taking the written test, you should know that there are two major parts. You will be asked about traffic laws and safe driving practices. The questions on the written test ask you what you would do in certain situations like encounters with pedestrians or other drivers.
In addition to this knowledge section of the permit test, you will also have a vision exam with separate tests for your eyesight ability when looking at an eye chart from 20 ft away as well as being able to read street signs from 50 feet away while driving down a road without glasses/contacts if needed! If these results come back positive then congratulations-you can move on to practicing for your drive skills exams which we’ll get into more detail below!
Practice
One of the biggest mistakes new drivers make is being overconfident in their driving abilities or too nervous about learning to drive. You should practice your skills when you are feeling relaxed enough that it doesn’t affect how well you drive, so practicing in a quiet place without distractions is best.
It is recommended to start with one of these five small parking lots around campus. It’s important to use this time for working on specific techniques and building confidence rather than trying to learn everything at once – which will only lead to frustration! So, don’t try doing ten things at once during the first lesson.
There are four basic principles you need to focus on: parallel parking, backing up into lanes, moving in between lanes, and driving on the freeways. Once you get these down, then you can think about doing more complicated things like making turns or changing into high gear while moving (or whatever else might be on your driver’s test).
Get Your Parent’s Help
The next step is to get your parent’s help. If you’re under 18, they’ll need to accompany you when getting the permit test and driving lessons. It can be intimidating for new drivers, so having their support will ensure that you do well on both sections of testing. You may feel anxious or nervous about understanding all of the rules while taking a written exam or behind-the-wheel tests.
Your parents should make sure that every question makes sense before signing off on it, which means reading each answer option carefully. By doing this, they are ensuring that there aren’t any questions where multiple answers seem correct due to unclear wording in the question itself. Once everything has been signed off on by them, then it’s time for an appointment with your local DMV.
Keeping Calm
The final step is to keep calm. At this point, you’ve done everything that needs to be completed to get your driver’s permit. Your parents should have signed off on the forms and test questions so it should just be a matter of going into an appointment at your local DMV. You should still show up prepared with all necessary documents because even if you did everything correctly before, there isn’t any guarantee that they won’t ask for something else during the visit itself. So just double-check before heading over!
Now once you’re inside the building, remember not to freak out or try passing the blame onto anyone else while speaking with staff members behind their desks because then no one wins. Instead, focus on being polite and understanding and you’ll be on your way to getting a new car or possibly even your very own first car.
If you think that getting a driver’s permit is something for other people, but not you, it may be time to reconsider. Getting your license will allow you more freedom and independence while giving back some of the control over your life. It can also be a way to save some money by cutting down on transportation costs if driving is the only choice you have.
Featured image: Unsplash (David Guenther).
