Parents of New Drivers, This Post is for You

I am not for sure how it happened, but I now have a child old enough to learn to drive. If you have a little one and think, I don’t need to worry about this,–be careful–you blink and they are ready to drive. I am also learning that things have changed a bit since I was getting ready to drive. When I turned 16, I strolled in, had my picture taken, and was ready to go. This is not the case anymore.

The first certification your child needs a learner’s permit. This requires your child to study, and there are online tests available here. Potential drivers have to take an eye test and a written test before they will be granted their permit. The Nebraska DMV for Learner’s Permits is here. Once your child is granted a permit, the fun begins. Before your child can get their Provisional Operators Permit, they have a few requirements to follow:

The Process

According to the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, prior to making application for a POP, individual must:

  1. Have held a School Learner’s Permit (LPE)School Permit (SCP) or Learner’s Permit (LPD) for at least six months and not accumulated three or more points on their driving record during the six month period immediately preceding the POP application date; and
  2. Successfully completed a Department of Motor Vehicles approved Nebraska driver safety courseor
  3. Completed a 50 hour certification form signed by a parent, guardian or licensed driver who is at least 21. The certification form must indicate that at least 10 hours of motor vehicle operation was between sunset and sunrise.

The good news is that if a your child decides to take a Driver’s Education course, he or she will be able to complete the majority of the requirements at the school, including the test.

School Permits

The written and driving test will be waived if the applicant has completed a DMV approved driver safety course. Schools transmit all course completion results electronically to the DMV. Individuals, who had a learner’s permit when taking the course, OR who were previously issued a school permit and meet all eligibility requirements may go online to obtain their POP. They can also visit any driver licensing office to do so.

Here is a list of all of the state approved driver schools:

Nebraska State Approved Driver Schools 

The first time I let my daughter into the driver’s seat of my car, I am pretty sure I had a panic attack. In that moment it dawned on me that I was letting her take control of a vehicle on an open road. What was equally frightening was that I was the one that was going to have to guide her and attempt to make it to our destination in one piece. She says it wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be, as I only let her drive up and over the hill, but it felt like an eternity.

While I am excited to have some flexibility with my child driving, it also terrifies me. It seems like only yesterday she was playing with toy cars, and now she’s going to have real keys in her hands. I want to be as prepared as I can for this new journey. What tips do you have for a newbie driving mom? Share them with us in the comments.

Amanda
Amanda is the mother of four- Abby(14), Porter(10), Paxton(6) and Anaston(1) and wife to Aron. To add to the crazy mix she has 2 dogs. She keeps herself busy with church volunteering, scouts, chasing kids and being the PTO President. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist that took a recent job change after 16 years in the public schools to work at home continuing her Speech career. Although her kids are spread out, she loves finding family time and watching them interact with each other. She loves traveling, Netflix binges, and enjoying a cocktail or two. She is excited to write for the OMB and get to know her town better.