<p>We’re planning a spring break college visitation road trip, and I wonder if my son will be allowed to drive out of state with his learner’s permit. I’m hoping to share the driving load. We live in NJ and he is 16. We will pass through NY, CT, MA, DE, MD, and DC.</p>
<p>It may vary depending on the state but in our state a kid with a Learner’s Permit can drive anywhere as long as one of his (licensed driver) parents are in the front seat with them.</p>
<p>MA laws:</p>
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<p>[RMV</a> - Junior Operator License Restrictions](<a href=“http://www.mass.gov/rmv/jol/restrictions.htm]RMV”>http://www.mass.gov/rmv/jol/restrictions.htm)</p>
<p>He can not drive in NYC (which includes the bronx), I beleive he can drive in Westchester.</p>
<p>I would not recommend that he drive in NY. As kayf said, he can’t drive at all in NYC (all five boroughs). Moreover, although he can drive in Westchester, there are numerous restrictions - there has to be a licensed person over the age of 18, he can only drive during certain hours. It also changes from county to county, so he’d have to pop in and out of the driver’s seat frequently.</p>
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<p>Sounds like you need to check the laws in all the states you plan to drive through. I think you are OK in CT…as kids can get permits at 16…but there has to be a licensed driver who has had their license at least four years in the front passenger seat. And drivers at that age cannot drive late at night.</p>
<p>rules for junior drivers in ny</p>
<p>[NYS</a> DMV - (Brochure) Learner Permits and Junior Licenses](<a href=“http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/broch/c41.htm]NYS”>http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/broch/c41.htm)</p>
<p>I think most of the highways in Westchester are out – possibly federal highways – 287, 95 are ok</p>
<p>When I looked into this same subject years ago, some states specifically disallowed permit holders who were younger than that state’s minimum age for obtaining permits.</p>
<p>Out of state traffic symbols, rules, road patterns,… are different from the ones in home state and can be confusing. I would not do it.</p>
<p>Short answer: No, no driving outside the state borders.</p>
<p>We live in NJ and my daughter was instructed NOT to drive outside the state of NJ on her Learner’s Permit as she could be subject to fines, as well as the licensed driver in the passenger seat.</p>
<p>Oops, I’m glad we weren’t caught in the 4 other states we drove through on S’s college trip in February! Yikes.</p>
<p>We won’t be going into NYC or Westchester. And I (parent above age 21!) will be with him at all times. S has been driving with a permit for almost a year and it has been many, many months since I feared for my life when riding with him. </p>
<p>coolweather, I’m not sure I agree with your point about different signs & conditions. Isn’t it best to expose the kid to different conditions under a parent’s supervision, rather than some day later when they are alone? We just went to a driver’s safety program at S’s school, and they recommended to make sure that you have kid drive with you at night, in the rain, in the snow, etc. instead of them being exposed to those conditions for the first time alone.</p>
<p>From what I understand you have to follow the rules of the state you are going through. So, you would have to find out the rules for each state.</p>
<p>So glad I saw this post! DS is will be 17-1/2 with his permit this summer when we hit PA to visit family and schools. He will get his license right after we return. I was wondering if he could drive…but I think I will leave the driving to DH!</p>
<p>(We are VERY late in the “driving game” because we’ve been overseas for years…and because I procrastinated like hell this past fall! MAJOR denial!!!)</p>
<p>Check with your state and the other states DMVs. My DDs drove all up and down the west coast including Canada with no problem (we checked first)</p>
<p>Not sure this matters but you also may want to check your car insurance policy. I don’t know if there are restrictions there for young drivers.</p>
<p>Glad I found this thread! D and I will be doing the college road trip this summer (no chance to do college visits before then) and I hoped to let her do some of the driving - share the load and give her experience (which she needs). She’ll get her license in August. Related to this, I’m wondering if a license holder can drive in a state where the age is higher than in the home state?
One more thing to check out before the trip!</p>
<p>Pretty sure that when you have a <em>license</em>, it’s recognized, unless it’s lower than the age at which a person can operate at all (e.g. if there are any states left that give licenses before 16, you can’t drive in MA)</p>
<p>From what I understand, you have to be the age required in the state you are driving. Thank goodness - I wouldn’t want 15 year olds from out west driving on our highways! :)</p>
<p>We checked into this for our state (IL) and permit holders were not allowed to drive out of state at all, regardless of that state’s permit age or who was with them. A bummer bc a friend of mine arranged a driving spring break trip to FL at the behest of her teen, thinking that the teen could share the driving.</p>