California Driver Education

California state laws have mandated that teens should complete driver's education courses before they can obtain a driver's license. This precaution is a necessary one, as many teen drivers either do not know or do not fully understand the consequences that can result from poor driving abilities or driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Taking a driver's education course can benefit drivers of all ages, however, and teens are not the only drivers who can use a boost in driving knowledge and skills.

To obtain your learner's permit in the state of California, you must be at least 15 years and six months old but under the age of 18. Teen drivers must complete both driver's education courses and driver's training courses in order to get their learner's permit, and, in time, their regular driver's license. They should be prepared to complete a minimum of 30 hours of in-classroom instruction, or the equivalent thereof if you are taking an online course. Additionally, teen drivers must complete 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training.

Once you receive your learner's permit, teens can drive with another licensed driver aged 25 or older only. Those with a learner's permit should get at least 50 hours of driving experience, with at least 10 coming at night. In order to count, a parent or guardian must supervise the driving time. They must sign a statement before the teen can receive his/her driver's license stating that they have achieved this experience and they witnessed it. During the first year of driving, teens may not have any passengers younger than 20 years old without a licensed supervisor at least 25 years old sitting in the front passenger seat.