<p>Depends on how much experience they have behind the wheel. My D got her license at 15 (they can do that here in TX). By 16, she was driving freeways around Dallas. At 18, we allowed her to drive trips of 2-3 hours away to visit friends, compete in school competitions, etc. Always trusted her and her friends. But, of course, it depends on the child. S2 is 15 and has a learner’s permit. He doesn’t seem to be as confident as his sister, so we are not allowing him to get a license until 16.</p>
<p>I’ve allowed my DS who’s a junior in high school drive to Michigan and Wisconsin to ski. He’s come home intact each time. </p>
<p>Making the decision to let him go the first time was gut wrenching. My husband scoffed at my overprotective instincts, reminding me that the minute he got his driver’s license he was driving a crappy little car, often times in blizzard like conditions, to his ski race events in Michigan, Canada, and Minnesota. He also reminded me that most auto accidents happen close to home. </p>
<p>If your son is responsible and a safe driver with a reliable car then you have less reason to worry. I’d never tell you what I think you should allow in your family, but sometimes hearing success stories from other parents of teens can give you a different perspective. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Go with your gut. OTOH, I would let my son drive that distance for a wrestling match, but would caution him against becoming distracted, and would suggest a pit stop half way there. I would probably give him money to stop at BK or McD’s as inducement. A concert at night? Probably not.</p>
<p>My 17.5 d does not travel really far but that is simply because she has no current need to do that. SHe got her permit at 15, her license at 16, and has been driving in DC traffic (worst in the nation) ever since she was about 15.5. She will most likely be driving back and forth to college and she will either have just turned 18 or almost turning 18 at that time. It all depends which school she chooses but I have no problems letting her drive for a number of hours at a time. When we go on vacations or college trips and it isn’t a rented car, she alternates with other drivers for the driving duties.</p>
<p>Things were a whole lot different when I was growing up. At 18, I drove my 3 year old niece 12 plus hours from Panama City to Miami and back to visit her grandparents. At 15, I babysat, from 3:30pm until 7:30am, overnight in my bedroom, a 4 month old infant who was 6 weeks premature. I did this for 3 months until they could get the baby into daycare. My parents didn’t get home from work until 6:00 pm, but the baby’s mom was at home, on the next street, but she slept and then went to work at 11:00pm. She picked the baby up in the morning after her shift. I cannot even imagine allowing either of those things to happen today.</p>
<p>These kids are now old enough to join the military but they can’t drive 3 hours away? I think it would be great experience. As long as he and the kids he’s going with are not juvenile deliquents.</p>
<p>I drove solo from NJ to Chicago at 18–and back non-stop each way. No problem and it was a great adventure. Freeways are much safer than local roads. 3 hours for a good event–no problem.</p>
<p>This reminded me that my parents in 1985 let my 16 yr old brother drive over 500 miles one way in a 1972 Cutlas (great car!) to pick me up at the end of the semester. What were they thinking?? :)</p>
<p>I did my trip in my trusty 1962 Dodge Dart that I bought for $500 big ones. I think at least 2 tires actually matched as I bought them for $5 each at the used tire/junkyard. At least they all had some tread left. Not sure about seatbelts–probably not. But it had a radio and got me where I wanted to go through thick and thin. I killed it when I forgot about checking the oil and it ran dry. Dropped in another junkyard engine and it was still running when I sold it after about 5 years. Had to have that MGB–for $600. Now that was an adventure car I would not take over two hours from home–close enough for my brother to come get me.</p>
<p>I think it’s one of those things that are scary the first time you think about it but that kids have to learn how to do. DS drove himself and a friend to beach week after they graduated, about five hours away. Gave him a GPS and sent him on his way. We live near a small ski resort and I have a friend who still won’t let her college freshman drive there, because it’s up a long, windy road. How is he going to learn to negotiate things like that if he never gets to experience them?</p>
<p>Is it a safety issue? A getting lost issue?</p>
<p>(However, we absolutely follow state law re: how many out-of-family passengers are allowed with young drivers. That might be your way out if the number of friends he plans to take would exceed that.)</p>
<p>You know your child’s abilities and limitations better than anyone and have every right to use your own judgment in protecting the investment you’ve made in his upbringing. I was a semi-neurotic protector, though, and this was about the time in senior year we had to start confronting the the reality that in just 5 months, son would be far away, on his own, and tethered only by whatever sense, judgment and values we were able to impart.</p>
<p>Depends on the driver’s experience and abilities. We accompanied our kids the first time they drove on larger freeways (our county is only 2 lanes each direction) and more complicated interchanges. By senior year I was comfortable with my D making the sort of trip you describe. I suspect I will feel the same about our S when he gets to that age.</p>
<p>You know your child best…trust your instincts.</p>
<p>Daughter and her gf drove to Vancouver, BC for her first big trip solo. They had a great time. Sure I worried about her, but she was a smart girl with a good head on her shoulders and was actually a good driver. To this day she remembers the trip fondly. Of course, I didn’t ask for too many “details”. Figure better if I didn’t know.</p>
<p>Two young females driving together vs. four young men driving can be a significant difference in terms of distractions. For me, after driving for decades, I always find it more distracting where there are more people in the car, especially when they may be excited about a sports event or anything else.</p>
<p>It’s always uncomfortable when your little darlings make growth leaps. I used to run around like crazy when they learned to walk worried they’d fall and bang their heads always there ready to catch. I worried like crazy when they had to get to kindergarten by themselves. I worried like crazy when they started driving and I worried like crazy through first semester freshman year of college…these are universal fears. Trust your gut but don’t be afraid to let go either.</p>
<p>If he just wanted to GO he’d choose one of your options, so you have to wonder why it wouldn’t be worth the trip if he doesn’t have his own transportation, right? Since you’ve already said no and been nice enough to provide some ways he could still go you’ve been more than accomodating!</p>
<p>My D was one of the better drivers among her group of friends, so she usually drove the longer trips. I think and hour and a half was the farthest she went. When I was a senior in HS, my parents let me drive 7 other girls (pre-seatbelt law days) in our station wagon to a local state park for the weekend. I often wonder ‘what were they thinking?’ about that and other trips I drove, but I try to remember that I was a very responsible teen and my kids are too.</p>
<p>My friend and I (two girls) drove 7 hours for a college tour winter of my senior year. Drove up, arrived at night and checked into a hotel, tour in the morning and then home by the following night. It wasn’t a big deal but the driving wasn’t anything we were unfamiliar with-- we’ve never done urban driving so if that had been required it might have been a tougher trip, it was just plain old freeway and a lot of rural driving, but we did drive 3ish hours to Chicago the following October for a weekend trip and that was no big deal either. I think it just depends on the kids.</p>
<p>Thank you again for all of your responses. My DS has elected to stay home. He is upset, but I don’t think I could have gotten through the weekend without being worried about his safety. Now I just have toget his mind back on deciding which college to go too.</p>
<p>Why don’t you put him on a bus or something?</p>