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Comment by mminer237 | Hacker News Reader

It depends on the state, but typically you have like 30 hours of classroom learning, then six hours driving with an instructor, then like 50 hours of driving with a parent. They also have to pass a test, although that is often in the behind-the-wheel now. Nobody is buying a simulator.

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I'm not sure what state you're talking about, but most I know are way less. presuming the learner is over 18 the requirements tend to be something like

1. A written exam, takes ~30 mins to 1 hour at the DMV 2. A 5 hour class (when I took this the 5 hour class clearly hadn't been updated for decades) 3. A driving exam that took ~30 minutes end to end

My understand is that most states are like this, though it gets a bit more stringent if you are under 18

I think it's pretty normal to get a learner's permit like a year before your license, so you can theoretically do the 50 hours with a parent. But I've never seen that part formally enforced, you could just do nothing until you're of age for the license driving test. Mostly depends on your parents.

In Kansas there is no class, and you have to be 16.5 to get a full driver's license. Written test and driving test.

I'm in Illinois. Of course, you used to be able to just wait until you were 18 and take the test if you didn't care about driving without an adult and not have to do the 50 hours or behind-the-wheel course, but I think they've upped the requirements since I took it.

> Nobody is buying a simulator.

I think some parents would if offered the chance. It gives the opportunity to see how your kid responds in situations (like red light running) that would not likely come up during the drivers test, or even during 50 hours of driving practice. You can throw things at a kid in a simulator that he won’t have seen in real life, and that you wouldn’t throw at him in real life testing.

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