age getting drivers licence

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Yeah, THAT is why I added "want everyone to be equally confused."!

Yeah I know what you mean about finding some controls, I have driven some cars that took me a while to find the hand brake because some cars have it in a strange location or have a foot brakes.

I hate cars with strange pedal locations, normally the European cars have some quirky ergonomics that take a while to get used tol. And panel vans where the engine is beneath you. You sit so far forward in the chassis that the steering column is almost vertical and almost runs right between your legs forcing the brake pedal to be further to the right than usual.

And the other thing I hate is column shift manual. Automatics are ok in that way because even if it's in a weird lever location you just leave the thing in D until you need to park or reverse.

As far as weird control locations, it took me a while to figure out where to even put the key in the car I ended up buying.

It's between the seats instead of on the steering column. Every so often I still reach for the steering column.

I started taking driving lessons when I was 16 and a half, then got a "practice permit" (allowed to drive with either parent next to me) and got my driver's license on my 17th birthday.

I got my driver's license when I was 18.

Well in the United States, most states have passed laws that make teen drivers wait six months before driving there friends, only in Kansas, Alabama, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arkansas automatically start you off with a full license.

And the driving age is not always 16. In North and South Dakota, a driver's license (allowing unsupervised driving) can be gotten at 14. In Idaho, Kansas, and Nebraska, it is 15 for a license. 15 and a half in New Mexico and Mississippi. 17 in New Jersey, and 16 in the other 42 states.

I do not think 16 is too young to drive alone. I drive nearly everyday and I have not crashed. But i do think being restricted on passengers for the first year is a good idea. That is why 45 states have passenger restriction.

But why does Australia make you wait until age 22 for a full license when you can get one at 17 in most US states. And why do americans have no restrictions on high performance cars, on towing a trailer, lowered speed limits and displaying of the L or P plates.

And my final question is how come in Australia you must take a test to get a learner's permit when in the United States, one is given to you if you show proof of enrollment in a drivers ed class

And most american states make you wait until at least age 15 to start learning how to drive

I'm 19 and still have yet to get my license. Mainly because I work almost the whole time that the DMV is open, and my parents don't have the time to teach me to drive so I can take my license test.

Hopefully during my vacation I can sign up for motorcycle classes, mainly because they are good on gas and cheaper on insurance. Plus drivers ed in general is great on insurance.

25, no license. I need one because I live alone and am socially isolated.

I know the driving age in the USA is not always 16 that is why I put 14-16 and in that I am including the restricted licences. Australia (Victoria) has to wait until 22 because it is thought that under that is too young to have full driving privileges you can still drive alone though. It is also thought that under 17 or 18 is too young to drive alone even with restrictions and i do agree. The system varies between states like it does the USA.

The restricted driving age is as follows.

- NSW 17
- QLD 17
- WA 17
- ACT 17
- TAS 17
- VIC 18
- SA 16.5
- NT 17

In Victoria the new system brought in on July 1 is as follows.

Probationary licence 1 known as P1. (For new solo drivers aged 18-20)

*Must be minimum age of 18
*Must have had 120 hours practice recorded in logbook
*display red P plates of front and back of car
*dont drive high powered vehicles
*only carry one passenger between 16-22
*.00 blood alcohol concentration
* no towing trailer unless for work
*no use of mobile phones at all

after a year or if you are over 21 you go to P2 this lasts three years. (Due to my age I will go into this).

*Must be minimum age 19 and have a good driving record
*display green P plates of front and back of car
*dont drive high powered vehicles
*.00 blood alcohol concentration

We take a test because it shows that you know the road rules enough to allow you to learn on the road.

I was 30.

I live in Seattle, which is in Washington State. It follows a similar licensing system compared to the rest of the states.

At age 15 you may enroll in a driver training class.

You receive proof of enrollment and take it to a licensing office.

You then receive a learner's permit allowing you to drive with a licensed driver age 21 or older.

After completing driver training and having a permit for 4 months you are allowed to take your written test, which has 25 questions, 20 of which must be answered correctly.

After reaching age 16 and having your permit for at least 6 months (if you get your permit before age 15 and a half you can get your license the day you turn 16), you may take a drive test which lasts about 15 minutes

You then receive a restricted license with the following restrictions:

No passengers under 20 except for siblings

No driving from 1:00am to 5:00am unless you live on a farm

After six months you may have 3 teenage friends in the car

After one year or reaching age 18 whichever is sooner, it becomes a full license meaning you must be at least 17 for a full license


My main questions are how come most americans are given a full license after one year or turning 18 but aussies must wait years to get full driving priveledges

and why do people in australia take the written to get the permit, but americans dont usually have to take it until applying for the restricted license

check out the wikipedia article titled driver's license in the united states

The provisional period used to be 12 months in Australia (well it was when I got my licence back in 1999) but due to the unproportionally high rate of accidents amongst inexperienced drivers, the different states decided to toughen the laws and increase the restrictions for another 2 years. In my opinion it is just politicians that are just too afraid to tackle the real problem which is lack of skill and mandatory professional driver training is the (rather expensive) solution.

Yeah but for driving the united states is the best country to be in, no doubt

Victoria has always been tougher and we started our three year provisional known as probationary in Vic licencing in 1990 and for under 21s it is now 4 years (3 if over 21) so like the USa it does vary from state to state as does the driving age.

I was living in Mississippi when I got my license at age 15 back in '94. That was a full license with no restrictions. I've had a commercial drivers' license since I was 18.

I think it was around 17 when I got my drivers license. Not much different than others.