In Florida, students can apply to get their permit at age 15, so many high schoolers go through the process of getting their permit. It can be confusing for the students who don’t know how to apply. Before being able to get a permit, students must first complete an online course. 

“To get my permit, I had to complete an online course and pass the final test,” senior Kayla Richardson said. 

The course is on how to drive properly and learning other knowledge that one must have in order to ‌drive. 

“The permit test is about the rules of the road,” freshman Jack Crowe said.

The course itself and the test are said to be easy if properly done. Although they are easy, they require a good sum of time.

“They are really easy if you pay attention to the lesson before the quiz,” Richardson said.

If you are under the age of 18, to receive your driver’s license, you must have had your permit for a year. After a year, you have to go to the DMV and take an in-person test.

“To get my license, I had to go to the DMV and pass an in-person driving course,” Richardson said.

For many student drivers, learning to drive was strenuous at first.

“It’s kind of difficult because of how other drivers are, but once you are comfortable enough, just stay calm and you’ll be fine,” junior Richard Soto said. 

For freshman Aaron Pyear, the difficulty of driving depends on many things. His father and grandparents taught him how to drive.

“Honestly, I‘ve had to learn how to drive with my grandparents and dad. They’re pretty tough on driving safety, so I say it depends,” Pyear said. “I was definitely nervous, it’s a very new experience compared to anything I’ve done before.” 

Learning how to drive can be hard, especially when you first drive on your own.

“I was kind of nervous because I thought I was going to crash every move, but when I learned step by step, I got out of it,” Soto said. 

Once you get used to driving, a permit and a license become extremely useful. There are varying reasons ‌people get their permits.

“I got my permit because I wanted to learn how to drive so that when I am 16, I can drive myself to things with my friends, sports and school,” Crowe said.

For permit holders, getting a license is exciting, but when Soto got his license, he drove more frequently, and with more purpose. 

“I drive daily, at least three car rides a day. I drive to school, the gym and to the baseball field,” Soto said. 

Driving around often increases the probability of an accident. It wasn’t easy for Richardson when she got into an accident. 

“After my accident, driving was very hard for me. I couldn’t drive down the road that I had the accident on for weeks,” Richardson said. “And if I heard sirens on the road, I would have had to pull over because it would give me flashbacks.”

She reminds new drivers that they have to be extremely careful. She says that someone else’s mistake could change your life. 

“Getting into the accident really made me open my eyes to driving. I did nothing wrong but someone else was not paying attention and changed my life,” Richardson said. ”I was in the hospital and had to go to physical therapy for a couple of weeks over someone else’s mistakes.”

After her accident, a healthy Richardson could get back on the road. It still lingers in her mind to this day. 

“I’m fully recovered from this incident, but I still think about it every day,” Richardson said.

Crowe offers advice to students looking to get their permit.

“I suggest you don’t procrastinate and get your test and courses done before your birthday so you can get the permit whenever you like,” Crowe said.

After having his license for almost a year, Soto warns new student drivers to be attentive.

“Be very careful driving because you are driving a literal weapon,” Soto said.