Going to College? You May Need to Get Your Driver’s Permit and License

As you plan and prepare for applying to college, you will also need to think of ways to keep your options open and that would mean the ability to get to and from college by driving. In order to get your driver’s license, you might want to start with getting your driver’s permit which requires you to take a test.

Driver's permit tests can be a difficult challenge for many people. You are required to know all the rules and regulation and learn to drive safely, and then a pass a test. In this article, we will give you some tips to help you prepare for your driver's permit test!

Review the Driver's Handbook
The driver’s handbook contains useful information that you will need to know for the test. According to the Texas DPS, it is recommended that you read the guidelines at least once before taking your written permit exam so that you are familiar with all of the material. There are some chapters that are not as important to cover because they are not covered on the written exam. These include the sections about motorcycle driving and commercial driver’s licenses, so feel free to skip over anything that isn't related to your specific permit type.

You can purchase a hard copy of the book at many locations and find them at your local library or bookstore. You can also ask a friend to borrow theirs.

Take an Online Practice Test
A great way to prepare for your written test is by taking an online practice permit test. There are many resources available, but make sure you pick one that lets you know what you have answered incorrectly or taken too long to answer a question, so that you can learn from the experience. It's important that you do not just take these tests without reading through the material in your handbook first because it will help with memorizing some of the most common questions and answers ahead of time.

The good news is that there are many resources you can tap into for seeing the type of questions you will be asked to get an idea on what to study and memorize.

In-Car Lessons
The best way to truly prepare yourself for the written test is by practicing your driving. If you're getting your license when you are 16 and a half then you will need to have an adult in the passenger seat, even if it's just around your neighborhood. This will allow you to become familiar with traffic signs and get comfortable with handling a steering wheel, brakes, etc. It is important that you do this in a safe place before going on to major roads and highways. You should have a licensed adult in your car who knows how to drive.

Once you turn 17 years old (or after holding your permit for six months), there are no restrictions about how many passengers you have in the car when learning – but it is still a good idea to have an adult next to you as you increase your confidence in driving.

Know Your Signals and Stay Focused
When taking your test and driving, there are many important things you must know. You will learn about the different road signs and rules for stopping and the right times to use turn signals. These are important to get used to as they make the difference for safe driving and reducing confusion while driving on the road. You can improve your driving skills by taking an advanced course.

The most important thing that you can do while preparing for your permit test is to stay focused. You don't want to take any shortcuts and just get through the material- so make sure all your bases are covered before going in to take the test.

Sign Up for Drivers Ed
If you go to driving school, then it's likely that your permit test can be taken at the same time as when you take a driver education program. You can also consider signing up for an online drivers ed courses like those offered by DriversEd.com - they're easy and affordable!

Once you have completed enough behind-the-wheel lessons with a licensed professional instructor, you will then be most likely ready to move on to taking your written exam. It is helpful if you take the test when all the material you have learned is fresh on your mind.

We hope that by reading this article, you will be able to be one step closer to preparing yourself for getting your driver’s permit and license. This will then give you more confidence and options to get to and from college. The freedom to drive to get around is one of those milestones that many teenagers enjoy in life. Good luck and safe driving!