Tips for Getting Your Driver's Licenise
Review Check List Before and
After You Get your License!
Before Getting Driver's Licensed:
- Learn the material in your Florida Driver Handbook, not just so you can pass the DMV exam, but so you can use the information in your driving.
- Memorize the Florida Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws. You must follow them, and you shouldn't ride with anyone who isn't following them.
- Talk to your parents about their expectations and the rules you’ll have to follow to use the family car or to get your own vehicle. The time to discuss the rules is now, before you have your driver's license. If you use a teen driving contract everything is spelled out ahead of time and you can avoid mixed messages.
- Encourage your parents to let you practice driving in unfamiliar areas, at night, when it's raining, and on expressways, not just on familiar streets close to home during daylight.
- Learn to scan the driving scene ahead so you can anticipate problems and react in time. Ninety percent of driving decisions are based on what you see.
After Getting Licensed
- Sign a teen driving contract with your parents, specifying driving rules and curfews. Incorporate Florida's GDL laws into the contract. The contract should include an agreement for your parents to pick you up, no questions asked until the next day, should you be unable to drive or ride with someone else for any reason.
- Ask your parents to let you continue practice-driving occasionally; every new driver can use the extra training.
- Minimize distractions in your vehicle. Keep the radio volume low, put your cell phone away, and ask passengers to minimize conversation and help you keep a lookout for dangerous situations. Wear your safety belt and make sure all your passengers wear theirs.
- NEVER use driving as a stress-reliever. Drivers who do this often speed or get distracted. Learn to manage stress in healthy ways - by taking a walk, taking a nap, talking to a friend, or volunteering.
- Read the warning labels on any medicines you take, including those that are over-the-counter (don’t require a prescription); many medications cause sleepiness or dizziness and shouldn't be taken while driving. And of course, NEVER drink and drive.
