# Driving

**When and how should our teen learn to drive?**

When and how your teen gets a license and the rules for driving, including a written family agreement.

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Delay the licence; On time, with stricter family rules and a written agreement; State rules only; Full freedom. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: teen.

- Area: The teen years
- Evidence: Well established
- Best settled: Teen
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/the-teen-years--driving

## Driving: what are the options?

1. **Delay the licence**: The teen waits beyond the legal age to get a licence.
2. **On time, with stricter family rules and a written agreement**: The teen gets a licence at the legal age, with extra house rules written down and signed.
3. **State rules only**: The teen follows only the legal restrictions for new drivers.
4. **Full freedom**: The teen drives with no restrictions from you.

## Driving: what does the evidence say?

**Well established.** Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it.

Strong graduated-licensing laws go with 30% lower fatal crash rates at 15-17; CDC recommends a written parent-teen agreement

Sources:

- [IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/api/datastoredocument/bibliography/2038)
- [CDC](https://cdc.gov/teen-drivers/prevention/index.html)

## What else is worth knowing?

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for teenagers, and risk is highest in the first months of driving. Graduated licensing laws limit night driving and passengers. Some families add their own written agreement.

## Questions to ask each other

- At what age do we want our teen to drive?
- Would we write a family driving agreement?
- What rules about passengers, phones and night driving?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=the-teen-years&topic=the-teen-years--driving