The Official Jonny Driving School Blog

Hi I'm 16 and I just got my permit yesterday and I was wondering if I could start driving immediately?

Korey from California asks: Hi I'm 16 and I just got my permit yesterday and I was wondering if I could start driving immediately? So like if I get my permit today can I drive home with my parent?

Hey Korey

Keep in mind that learner permit laws vary from state to state, so please check with yoru local DMV, DPS, or MVD if you are not from California.

For minors in California, BEFORE you can drive with your parent, you must first complete a 2-hour lesson with a licensed driving instructor. After that first lesson is complete, the instructor will sign your learner permit and then you can start practicing with your parents.

Hope that helps! Here's a link to a great page with all the minor driving requirements for CA teens: http://www.driverseddirect.com/content_lg.aspx?tid=621

Until next time Korey, get that first lesson from a licensed driving school and be one step closer to earning your driver license!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Arizona Defensive Driving School

My learner permit expired! What do I have to do to get a new one?

Samantha from Eisenhower High School in CA asks: Irresponsibly, I let my permit expire long ago and I know I'm required to retake the permit test to obtain a new one so I may then actually apply for a CA license; however, am I also required to retake the professional training/education courses? I've gotten the certifications stating I've completed them, and I really do not want to pay for it all again or wait any longer. Please bring me good news :/

Hi Samantha, FINALLY, someone who accepts responsibility for their irresponsibility. If only all people could follow your, this would would be much more tolerable!

The good news is you DON'T have to retake the drivers education or driving lessons again. Some DMV clerks might let you reapply for your permit by just providing your expired permit. Other DMV's will require you to provide new certificates again. Just in case, I recommend getting duplicate certificates for both your drivers ed and drivers training. Most driving schools will charge a 'duplicate certificate fee' of $25-$75.

Finally, you will be required to retake the permit test at the DMV.

Hope that helps!

Until next time Samantha, do your best to keep all things perishable from expiring, including your eggs, milk, and driving permit!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Florida Traffic School

If I run a red light while I have my Colorado learner permit, will it be taken away or will I just get a ticket?

Ross from Alexander Dawson High School in Colorado asks: Hi I'm fifteen and I'm from Colorado. If I run a read light while I have my permit will it be taken away or will I just get a ticket?

Hi Ross - did you know that every time someone runs a red light, my fragile little driving heart dies just a little bit more? SO PLEASE STOP KILLING ME SLOWLY! Now that I got that out of my system, on to your question:

From what I understand about Colorado driving law, you will not lose your driving privilege if the only violation you have on your record is running a red light because:

- "Failure to observe traffic signal" is a 4 point violation
- If you are a minor, you need 6 points on your driving record to cause suspension.

So basically running a red light should put 4-points on your driving record, but that's not enough points to have your license taken away.

I couldn't find anywhere that specifically addressed getting ticketed while driving with a permit, so I would assume that you will be treated with the same rules as a minor.

As always, if you want the definitive answer to your driving question, you should contact your local Colorado DMV. Hope that helps!

Until next time Colorado Ross, please find the brake pedal next time you see a light that is colored any shade of red!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Arizona MVD Driving Links

My high school does not offer driver's ed, what should I do to earn my permit?

Alec from Brentwood High in Los Angeles: My school does not offer a driving coarse or anything about driving. I am 15 do I need to do something online before i get my permit?

Hello Alec, your grammar is, how shall I say it, very "coarse". But you sound like a good kid, so let me lend you a helping hand.

In the state of California, you can meet your drivers education requirement online or in an approved drivers ed classroom. Below is a link to the Drivers Ed Direct website, offering a CA DMV approved online drivers ed course. If you complete this course you will earn an official drivers ed certificate that you can bring to the DMV for your written permit test. Please remember you must be at least 15½ to get your permit, but can start your drivers ed at any time.

The link to the Drivers Ed Direct site is: www.DriversEdDirect.com.

Also, you can use promo code jonny10 to get an additional $10 off your drivers ed course.

Until next time Alec, good luck earning your permit and passing English - I'm sure you'll succeed admirably in both!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Arizona Defensive Driving Class

I just got my permit, can I drive in my parent's car without my name being added to the insurance policy?

Yan from Harvard Westlake in Los Angeles, CA asks: Hey Jonny my good man. I just got my permit today!!!!!!!!!! Can I drive with my parents on their insurance, or do they have to add me to their insurance? You dig? ?

Hey there Yan, this question is easy to answer, though it may not help you too much. Every insurance company handles teen driver's with permits differently. Some auto insurance companies allow teens with learners permits to drive as long as their parents have insurance on the vehicle being driven. Other insurance companies will require parents to add their son or daughter to their insurance policy before the teen can legally drive the car.

Your best bet is to call your insurance company and see what their policy is.

Hope that helps, sorry I couldn't give you a yes or no answer - sometimes, that's the way the driving cookie crumbles...

Until next time, call your insurance company, see their policy for teen drivers, and practice legally with your parents!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Teen Drivers Ed in California

What do I need to have ready before I go to the DMV for my CA permit test?

Kenny from Santa Rosa, CA Asks: Hey i got my blue slip for drivers ed. at school and i should be testing to get my permit starting apr. 17 and i was wondering is there anything else i am required to do before i take my permit test? thanks

Howdy Doody Kenny from Santa Rosa, before you go to the DMV and take your permit test (besides bringing your drivers education certificate or the 'blue slip' as you call it - make sure you have signed up for your behind the wheel training with a driving school. The driving school should provide you with a form that shows proof you are enrolled with a licensed driving school. Also, you may want to bring your social security card with you to the DMV - they may ask for it. And if you wear glasses or contacts- bring those as well as you have to pass an eye exam.

That should do it - good luck!

Until next time Kenny from Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, study hard, sign up for a Santa Rosa Driving School, and good luck on your written test!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Santa Rosa Drivers Education

i wanted to know like how do you have to wait until after you get your learners to get the actual drivers licences?

Justyna from Gainesville, Florida Asks: How long do you have to hold your learner's license before getting your actual operator driver's license?

Hello Justyna from Gainesville, According to the Florida DHSMV: Operator’s License (16 and 17 year old) - To earn an operator’s license, you must be at least 16 years old AND have held a learner’s license for at least one year without any traffic convictions.

So, it looks like at least 1 year.

Hope that helps.

Until next time Justyna from Gainesville, keep practicing for a year with your learners, earn your driver's license, and drive safe for another 100 years!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Gainesiville Learners - First Time Drivers Classes

How can I guarantee that I will pass my DMV test?

Sarah from Upland Asks: Can you guarantee that I will pass my DMV test?

Hey there Sarah, how's life in Upland? The answer to your question, whether you are talking about your permit test or your license test, is NO. Even though many driving schools can PREPARE you for your written permit test of your drive test, no reputable driving school should guarantee that you will pass your DMV tests for sure. If that were the case, why even take the test in the first place, right? In fact, if you encounter a driving school that promises that you will pass the DMV test if you take their course, run away! It is a common driving school scam designed to get your business. The fact of the matter is that the CA DMV is not nor can not be affiliated with any driving school and thus cannot not guarantee that you will pass your test because you chose one driving school over another.
Here's some links with some great tips to help you best PREPARE for you DMV tests. Read these over and do your best:

• Permit Test Hints from California-Drivers-Training.com
• DMV License Test Tips from California-Drivers-Training.com
• And last but not least, read over the DMV Checklist for getting a driver license

Hope that helps.

Until next time Sarah in beautiful Upland, CA: study hard, take lots of practice tests, and get a good night's sleep before your test!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Upland Drivers Ed Online with Practice Tests

What does the DMV need when I go to get my permit?

Jolene from Newhall, CA Asks: I went to the Newhall DMV to take my permit, but they said I didn't have all the right forms :/ What do I need to bring to the DMV when I get my permit???

Jolene, must we use 3 question marks when asking a question??? I guess we must. Regarding your thought-provoking question, you were probably missing your DMV form OL392 or equivalent. What's the form OL 392 you ask? It's the DMV form that shows that you have enrolled for driving lessons with a licensed DMV driving school. If you haven't signed up for driving lessons then the DMV won't let you get your permit. In case you're still not sure what you need to bring to the Department for your permit test, here's a quick check list:

• • Your DMV permit application form (get this from the Newhall DMV)
• • Your driver's ed completion certificate (the "Blue Slip" you get from the driving school where you take your online drivers ed from)
• • Bring the required ID to the Newhall DMV (usually your original birth certificate). Also bring your Social security card.
• • Your proof of enrollment in driving school lessons (that's the form OL 392 we discussed).
• • Bring your checkbook or credit card - the DMV application fee is currently about $30 (subject to change).

Hope that helps.

Until next time Jolene from Newhall, sign up for driving lessons, study hard, and good luck at the DMV!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Sign Up for Online Newhall Drivers Ed

Is there really such a thing as Online driver's Ed?

Derek from Harvard-Westlake Asks: Is drivers ed really online? How can driving lessons be online?

What a fine question Derek, I'm glad you're actually using that brain of yours. So my Harvard-Westlake friend, you want to know what the deal is with online drivers ed, right? Well, online drivers ed is just what it sounds like: drivers education you can take online instead of attending a classroom driver's ed course.

What you are probably confused about is Drivers Education vs. Drivers Training. Drivers education basically gives you the knowledge and theory you need before starting to drive. You take drivers ed so you can earn your learners permit. Drivers Training, on the other hand, is the actual in-car part of your driving school experience. You need driver's training to help prepare you for your provisional license. So basically:

Drivers Education = What you need for your learners permit = Can be done online and is approved by the CA DMV

Drivers Training = What you need to earn your driving license = Not online but done behind the wheel of a training vehicle

Regarding the whole "online" business, you can do your drivers ed online, but your drivers training is done in a car and obviously there is no online drivers training.

Check out Drivers Ed Direct for an example of a driving school that has both online drivers ed and behind-the-wheel driver's training.

Hope that helps.

Until next time Derek from Harvard - Westlake, get drivers ed for your permit online, drivers training for your license, and traffic school for your speeding tickets,

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Sign Up for Online Hesperia Drivers Ed

When will my driving permit expire?

Pandora from Oceanside Asks: I've had my permit for 14 months down in Oceanside? Does it ever expire??

Pandora! Your name spells trouble and indeed you are in it... trouble that is. YES, your permit surely does expire. In fact, in your case, it expired 2 months ago. In the state of California, your learners permit expires 12 months after you initially took your first permit test (not 12 months from the day you received your permit). So basically you have one year to use your CA learner permit before it expires. If you do not get your license and your permit does expire, you must go back to the DMV and retake your written road rules test (permit test) at the DMV.

Hope that helps.

Until next time Pandora, stay off the roads in Oceanside until you get your new permit!!

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!

Sign Up for Oceanside Drivers Ed

I heard I can't get my learner permit until I'm 18 because the law changed. Is that true?

Brandon's Inquiry: My friend told me I can't get my permit until I'm 18 cause the law changed. Is that true?

Brandon, I hate to say it, but I think it's time you found some new friends because they have no idea what the actual permit laws are. Under current CA state driving law, you can obtain your CA learners permit at the ripe old age of 15.5 and then obtain your provisional license at the age of 16 if you complete CA driver training requirements.

To clarify - you can go to your local Dept. of Motor Vehicles when you're 15½ years old (if you've completed an approved driver education course) and then take your learner permit exam. When you turn 16 and you have fulfilled your DMV requirements, you may schedule a road test in an attempt to get your provisional driver's license. If this law ever changes, I will be the first person to yell it from a mountain-top (or a pretty dang steep hill at the least).

Hope that helps.

Until next time, drive smart, drive safe, and drive long,

Jonny Driving School
DrivingSchoolProgram.com

Got a driving school question for Jonny? Ask him here!