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Teaching my daughter to drive seems much more scary than it was to learn to drive myself. Everything is so different now than in “my day” (how old does that make me sound).
High School Drivers Ed is History… at Least in Orange County
Just a little background: I learned to drive in high school PE class and can still vividly remember behind the wheel with Mr. Lane. This was in Illinois and now we live in California so they may still teach drivers education in Illinois high school PE classes. In Orange, California they no longer offer drivers education in high school (too costly and high liability). Now it is the parent’s responsibility and financial obligation to provide drivers classes if you want your child to drive before they are 18 years old.
This is where it starts to get even scarier. You can sign up for the classroom portion at driver’s education school or take the course online. At a school the course is supposed to take 30 hours. We opted to do an online course because of the flexibility in taking portions of the program whenever she had free time (cost $99). She completed the 25-30 hour program in less than 15 hours. I was a little apprehensive that she would pass the DMV test, but she passed on the first try, only missing 2 questions. My daughter now has her driver’s permit.
She must have her permit for 6 months before she can take her driver’s license exam. When I am driving she now critiques my driving; going to fast, not coming to a complete stop, etc. Now I have to be on my best driving behavior at all times. This is tough.

Professional Instruction Costly, but Necessary
On to behind the wheel. California law requires 6 hours of in-car instruction by a professional drivers education teacher (cost $250). I feel that is very few hours so I upgraded to the 10-hour package (cost $300). Now it is the parent’s responsibility to make sure their child has a total of 50 hours driving experience, 10 of those hours at night.
Surprising How Oblivious to Driving Daughter Has Been for 16 Years – Can’t Find Home From School
It amazes me that after 15 years of driving her everywhere she does not seem to know where anything is when she is behind the wheel. One day I picked her up from school and let her drive home. On a street we have driven on a hundred times she is going 35 mph. I tell her to slow down and she informs me that the speed is 35 mph. I said I knew that but there is a stop sign 25 feet ahead. She told me she did not see it.
Business Opportunity for Enterprise, Hertz, Avis – Drivers Ed Equipped Cars
My blood pressure must be off the charts when I am in the passenger seat. What I would not give for Budget or Hertz to come out with a “driver’s ed” style car – equipped with a steering wheel and brake pedal on the passenger side. They would have a waiting list for renters each weekend.