My 16 year old daughter got her driver’s license yesterday. That in itself is traumatic.My precious truck……at least to me….is now in the hands of my 16 year old DD, at least for today. It wasn’t half this hard when my son starting driving. He was a great driver from day one. While, driving her around to her ridiculous amount of extracurricular dance, school and social activities, has been a pain in the you know what at times, it always gave us the chance to spend some quality time discussing our day and allowing me to stay connected to her social circle, her friends and her life. Her last umbilical was that need to get driven here and there and get picked up. Now that she has a license, and likely soon a car, it’s really bumming me out that its now one less thing that I have any control over. That list is growing and growing.That truck has safely carried our family and towed our trailer all over the country….Oregon Coast, Yellowstone, Black Hills, Southern California, the Ozarks too many times to mention. It’s been the best vehicle I’ve ever had.Anyway, enough whining. She’s an incredibly bright, trustworthy and level headed kid. I trust her in my truck and I’m glad that she has 5500 lbs. +/- of truck around her to protect her. Momma has an Odyssey…another 5000lb. beast. I guess it’s time to get on Craigslist to find a beater for her…….

It's hard to let go, but you will get through it.When you buy a beater, get a HEAVY one!

Sounds like a perfect excuse to give the DD the old truck and get yourself a new one. Safety is #1 after all.

Huck,Check with your insurance agent on the price differences for policies depending on number of drivers and number of vehicles. We found that it was cheaper to have all drivers on their own car instead of having less cars than drivers. Seems stupid since more cars mean more risk at any given time but that's the way it broke out for us. Best of luck to you and the Daughter with driving. It's only those first few weeks and then the anxiety will abate.

Friend of mine, long time ago.When he bought his daughter's first car threatened to take out the back seat. His reasoning was it was usually a car load of kids that got into terrible accidents.Her response... "Great, room for a mattress".The seat stayed in.

Did it have a full tank of gas?? Try to convince her, (:) that as an older truck, it really needs to be maintained, and show her how to check the oil occasionally, always take a look at the tires, and never assume that it will stop when she hits the brakes. There are so many (kids and ?adults) that only know that if you push this petal it goes, and the other one stops.

16 year old just drove off in my truck | Good Sam Community

45 Replies

run100
Explorer
Mar 02, 2014
Even though we're still about six years aways from these questions/issues in our house, it sure makes me stop and think how we'll handle the kids driving (I'm already starting to sweat!) I hope they're not as mischievous as I was as a teenager!!!

Although we'll likely teach both kids to drive a stick, since one of our cars has one, I'm not sure it's necessary these days, since most vehicles are automatic. Different times create different needs.

The one thing we are going to absolutely drill into our kids head, is to keep their cell phone in their purse, or pocket, instead of pressed against their ear while driving. As parents, we hold ourselves to the same standard too.
jessjerr1831
Explorer
Mar 02, 2014
Our youngest daughter when she turned sixteen said she wasn't ready yet to learn how to drive. She was almost 18 before she did drive. Now she drives all the time while her husband sits in the passenger seat.
SRT
Explorer
Mar 02, 2014
Both DD and DS learned to change oil and oil filter, spark plugs and tires. Plus both learned to use a stick shift. DD was a motorcycle mechanic for a while. Son was a mechanic for a while. But both crashed their cars (Mazda GLC's) and survived because they learned to use their seat belts.
D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Mar 02, 2014
We're long past that stage, or are we, the youngest DD is 51 and her DD is 14. She(DGD) already has plans for camping when she gets her license and vehicle. No plans for acquiring her vehicle, just figures her Mum will let her use the minivan.

My DW, however, has plans too. I bought a lovely 2006 Suzuki GV last year, it had been used as a towed and have very low mileage and well cared for instead of replacing the trans and some minor cosmetic things. I was going to sell the 1995 Sidekick towed AS IS, rather than fixing it up, new trans etc. Now I'm going to fix it up and keep it around for the DGD. I guess we're still in that stage.
Jarlaxle
Explorer II
Mar 02, 2014
HuckFinn410 wrote:
OP here. All great stories and words of wisdom. Thank you

As I look for cars for her, I keep coming back to getting her a car with a manual transmission. My impression is that driving a stick shift keeps the driver much more focused on actually driving, rather than all of the other distractions. Also, I think that it's mandatory that kids know how to drive a stick.

I learned on a stick
My wife learned on a stick
My son learned on a stick

What do you think? Stick shift?

Not to hijack my own thread..........

I work with someone whose daughter FLATLY refuses to drive a standard shift. Absolutely not willing to learn, will not even try, and equates it with learning to crank-start a Model T. Telling her he won't let her drive, she just shrugs and says, "Then I guess I won't drive until I'm 18."
bmet2000
Explorer
Feb 20, 2014
Bobbo wrote:
HuckFinn410 wrote:
OP here. All great stories and words of wisdom. Thank you

As I look for cars for her, I keep coming back to getting her a car with a manual transmission. My impression is that driving a stick shift keeps the driver much more focused on actually driving, rather than all of the other distractions. Also, I think that it's mandatory that kids know how to drive a stick.

I learned on a stick
My wife learned on a stick
My son learned on a stick

What do you think? Stick shift?

Not to hijack my own thread..........

My oldest daughter called today. She overnighted last night with one of her girlfriends in midtown. Someone tried to steal her Jeep, but couldn't drive a stick. They did steal the friend's brand new automatic. All my kids learned on a stick. They hated it at the time, but now love that they can drive one. Very few of their friends can drive a stick.

My kids were the same way! They didn't enjoy learning on a stick and hated driving dads 4 cylinder Nissan with a manual transmission to school.
But now they both have their own vehicles and guess what? They are both manuals. They hate automatics and wouldn't want one if you gave it to them.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Feb 20, 2014
Taught my kids when this thing was our only vehicle. It is a Mazda. The model was never sold in N America.

In some ways it was a very easy vehicle to drive. Your toes are inches away from the front & the back window is the back. Nothing extra unseen to account for. The tough part is that it was stick, it did not have power steering & the handbrake had not worked for years making for the need to develop a special skill & quick feet for hill starts without rolling back.

Nothing special to look at but it was a great 8 seat van. The good/bad thing is that the 2 back seats folded flat.
Targa
Explorer
Feb 20, 2014
HuckFinn410 wrote:
OP here. All great stories and words of wisdom. Thank you

As I look for cars for her, I keep coming back to getting her a car with a manual transmission. My impression is that driving a stick shift keeps the driver much more focused on actually driving, rather than all of the other distractions. Also, I think that it's mandatory that kids know how to drive a stick.

I learned on a stick
My wife learned on a stick
My son learned on a stick

What do you think? Stick shift?

Not to hijack my own thread..........

Yes, stick. My step daughter learned on a stick and she admits that because of it she was much more focused and distractions like cell phones, mp3 players etc...were all but impossible to manipulate.
Crowe
Explorer
Feb 20, 2014
More drivers in the house than cars is the best option.

Not in Mass as they base the new driver's insurance on the most expensive vehicle because s/he will be able to drive it. States vary so it's best to check with your own insurance company.

Might as well recount a few experiences as well. Hubby and I were high school sweethearts. The day he got his license we went to visit a girlfriend of mine. He was driving a 71 Pontiac Grand Safari Wagon, your proverbial boat. When he backed out of her driveway, he scraped the underside of the carriage on a rock beside the drive-no damage, but rattled him so bad he backed up too far and knocked over the neighbor's post and rail fence. We easily fixed it but he was so scared he'd get arrested he drove me home and then went home and hid.

My son had been driving for a few years with a just a few minor incidents at the beginning, so hubby asked him to take his new BMW to the dealer for some small fix. He drove passed the dealer entrance and pulled into a parking lot to turn around. He backed up right into the trailer hitch that he didn't see on the pick-up that was parked in the spot across from where he turned around. Poor kid was so upset he could hardly drive home. Cost $1200 to fix (out of our pocket) but you can bet he looks for that sort of thing now!
Bobbo
Explorer III
Feb 20, 2014
HuckFinn410 wrote:
OP here. All great stories and words of wisdom. Thank you

As I look for cars for her, I keep coming back to getting her a car with a manual transmission. My impression is that driving a stick shift keeps the driver much more focused on actually driving, rather than all of the other distractions. Also, I think that it's mandatory that kids know how to drive a stick.

I learned on a stick
My wife learned on a stick
My son learned on a stick

What do you think? Stick shift?

Not to hijack my own thread..........

My oldest daughter called today. She overnighted last night with one of her girlfriends in midtown. Someone tried to steal her Jeep, but couldn't drive a stick. They did steal the friend's brand new automatic. All my kids learned on a stick. They hated it at the time, but now love that they can drive one. Very few of their friends can drive a stick.