How to Learn to Drive When You Don’t Have a Car
Nearly one-third of Americans leave their teens without a driver’s license , and the number of driving license holders has declined across all age groups over the past decade. Many of us learn to drive when we grow up – a time in our lives when we have a hard time borrowing a car from Mom and Dad or going to high school class. Many of us don’t want to have a car at all; we just would like to rent it for the weekend or for the occasional shopping trip. We’re stuck with catch-22: How do we practice enough to pass the test that allows us to practice? It’s intimidating, but it’s doable and even has advantages.
Since cars were invented after federalism, every part of the licensing process varies greatly from state to state, so check your DMV or DOT’s website. The unofficial guides at DMV.org can also be helpful.
Get a Study Permit
Nearly all states require new drivers to obtain a training permit several months before applying for a full license. You usually get your study permit by going to a DMV or DOT and taking a written test. Review your driver’s manual, take all pre-tests offered on the government site ( here California ), and don’t pay for third-party pre-tests. When I took the permit test in New York, I was delighted to learn every question from the preparatory tests.
At some point in the application process, you may need to have a vision or hearing test, so please bring any glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids that you plan to use while driving.
Practice with an instructor
After you get permission, you need to practice. If you’ve never driven a car before, you’re best off with a professional instructor for the first few rides. They are better prepared to learn than a friend or relative and have their own brake pedal. They know the difference between “good driving” and stricter driving test rules. And, unlike family and friends, if things go wrong, you will never have to see them again.
Find your driving school on Google and Yelp. You don’t have to choose the best – just avoid places where you can find a lot of complaints. Get a feel for the atmosphere of the place and, if you trust it enough, invest in a package offer: in-class course, lessons and a trip to the proving ground.
Unlike a driving exam examiner, who is paid to prevent dangerous drivers from entering the road, your instructor is paid to help you pass the exam. They win when you win. Be honest about your feelings so they can reach out to them. You will never want to look hesitant or confused in front of an examiner, so discuss this with your instructor. And ask them where the test takes place. In some states, students are not allowed to designate a test location, but because the test takes place on public roads, it is difficult to enforce. Again, your instructor will know you can safely get away with it.
Drive Rite Academy in Brooklyn, NY, where I re-learned to drive after ten years off-roading, advised me via email:
For adult learners, especially those who have never driven a car, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Do you study. This is a process. Be prepared to listen to instructions and criticism and you will excel in your driving education.
Adults coming here from another country are at a disadvantage as they not only need to learn new legal requirements, but also the social driving standards in that country. They often have habits or practices that were acceptable or normal in their home country, but which are unacceptable or even unsafe here.
However, for first-time adults there is a slight advantage in that they usually have a better understanding of why an action is dangerous or not dangerous, which helps them learn to avoid unsafe antics very quickly. But in general, every newbie driving is at the same starting point – a little nervous, a little overwhelmed and in very unfamiliar territory.
In addition to actual driving practice, you may have to take a driving training course. In Texas, new drivers under the age of 25 are required to complete a six-hour online or in-class training course , while everyone else is required to watch an hour-long video. In New York City, all novice drivers must complete a five-hour classroom course , which varies by driving school, but will likely include at least one grisly video of traffic accidents involving drunk drivers.
Train with a friend
After a few lessons, it’s time to do some longer practice. You can just buy enough practice at school, but it’s cheaper to study with a friend. Drive Rite recommends this additional practice to learn how to handle different locations, passengers and vehicles differently.
You don’t really need a friend with a car . What you need is a licensed friend who is willing to take the risk of riding with you. Daily rentals are still cheaper than a few hours of class, but letting an unlicensed driver to drive is contrary to the terms of any major car rental or car sharing service, and if you get into an accident, you’re in big trouble. Zipcar, for example, does not reimburse for accidents caused by any non- member, licensed or not, plus they will cancel your friend’s membership. So only try this if you and your friend are confident in your abilities and stay as far away from heavy traffic or any accident prone area as possible.
If none of your friends are playing, post on Craigslist or TaskRabbit and pay someone to let you practice in their car. Let them know that you have already trained with an instructor.
While driving, enter the test location and familiarize yourself with the road. See if there are unusually narrow streets, tight bends, or poorly marked roads. You want to feel as comfortable behind the wheel here as you do anywhere else.
In every state (and some municipalities), student permission will restrict various variables, such as where and when you drive, whether you can use a speakerphone, or who else can travel. Some of them are important, others are less important. In New York City, students are technically only required to drive with an instructor brake, but you won’t hear about this rule unless you dig into the PDF linked on the sidebar on the DMV site, and this is almost universally ignored.
Take your test
In each state, you end up actually driving with the examiner in the passenger seat. In some states, you will be using the examiner’s car; in other cases, you will need to borrow one from a friend or a driving school.
If possible, schedule a test for the best possible weather. Most examiners are no more forgiving just because of the rain or ice, so there is no point in starting your driving career in hard mode.
Exercise confidence throughout the test. Again, the examiner’s job is to keep bad drivers out of the road, so they look for whatever reason you don’t know what you are doing. Don’t make small talk or try to convince them; just be polite and straightforward. You have two advantages over teenage drivers: you are not as intimidated (or naughty) by authority figures, and you just appear more experienced.
Take the test only if you are confident enough to take it. They often fail the first time, so don’t stress on that. But in some states, there is a small fee for retaking the test. If you lose three times in California , you will have to restart the entire application process. If you fail, ask the examiner for whatever feedback you can get and practice again. Consider buying another lesson for the instructors so they can take specific feedback into account.
Celebrate
You passed the test! You can drive a car! You can now walk and ride the train again until your next trip. Celebrate what real chained drivers can’t: Go to a bar and buy yourself a drink. Congratulate yourself for joining the last generation of people who know how to drive.