Absolutely not. It's never too late to learn anything. My cousin didn't get to do Driver's Ed until he was 19. It's actually state law that you have to take Driver's Ed up until you turn 21 to get your license here in Texas. I didn't get my license until between age 17 and 18 due to insurance stuff my parents had to work out. No one will think it's weird that you're a bit older than age 16. Go for it!

No one is going to think it is weird. My sister was 20 before she got her permit and nearly 24 when she got her lisense. And I'm older than you and I don't even have a permit.

Like starkat said "Go for it"!

SnowAngel

Never too late I'm 20 and I still can't drive yet (I should work on that soon though it makes the job/internship search process easier ) My old roommate was about my age when she got her permit I think... normally in NY you can get your permit at 16 and Driver's liscence at 17 if you take Driver's Ed or 18 otherwise... But I suggest you learn, it'll be a very helpful skill to know!

Ditto all the above. I personally didn't begin to learn how to drive until I was 18, close to 19, and I didn't get my license until I was almost 20. Lots of varying reasons, but the end result was that I got it and I'm very satisfied with the timing. There was no way I would have been a good driver any younger, anyway.

19 is NOT "old" for getting a license. My older sister didn't get hers until well after I got mine, and if you go to the DMV, you'll see a lot of people your age and other adults taking their test.

There are actually a few advantages to getting your licence late. First of all, your car insurance is not going to cost as much as it would have had you started to drive when you were sixteen or so. Laws vary by state, but where I live, drivers under the age of 18 have a provisional license that comes with a lot of restrictions. If you were over 18, though, all you had to do was pass your written and driving test...nothing extra required.

Learning to drive can be daunting (trust me, I know!), but it's not that bad. The first time my dad taught me how to drive was in a very empty parking lot; nothing to hit and that way I could get used to the controls. Besides that, I did most of my practice driving in the unfinished half of our subdivison. There were streets, but there was no houses or traffic so I got all the advantages of being able to practice driving on the road without worrying about getting into an accident. If you can find some really dead streets, that's best.

Anyway, good luck! I was never really into driving myself, but I can't deny what an immense help it has been, especially once I began working.

I also ditto all of the above. I was a bit late getting my license as well, and there's no shame in that. Go for it, purpleotter! We believe in you.

Someone who came to my Driver's Ed course at a high school was 21, but came to learn driving through the school. It's never too late! And so what if you didn't get your license at 16? There's nothing wrong with that! Like Gymfan said, there are probably less complications and less risks when you get your license a little later. And there are definitely people of all ages who go to the DMV. Don't let this discourage you in learning a fantastic skill such as driving! I'll be praying for you. You can do it!

It's not too late. I'm 21 and I don't even know how to drive, though I may decide to get my permit sometime in the next few years.

Do what you want to do. There are no age limits.

It differs from person to person. When you're ready to drive, you're ready. Remember that cars are dangerous beasts and need to be treated responsibly and with respect. I used to be a highly anxious person and was terrified of the idea of driving, so I only learned to drive in my mid-20's. I used to be lightly teased for it, but you know what? I didn't let their talk bother me and you shouldn't let it either. Be confident in Christ and trust that he will help you in all that you do. Be blessed.

Purpleotter, that is so, so, so exciting!!! It's definitely not too late! And if you're determined to learn to drive, I don't believe there's anything that will keep you from learning.

Just remember...if you get really nervous when first learning to drive, don't beat up on yourself or give up or feel pressured into keeping on driving just because you're nineteen years old. Try it out and see how it feels. Take it slow if you need to. Once you learn to drive, it's so much fun. Not to mention liberating. I never felt more like an independent adult than when I took the car out on my own for the very first time in my life.

Also, I can speak from experience when I say that you will inevitably have experiences while driving and make mistakes that make you seriously question your decision and desire to learn to drive. Don't give up on yourself and don't beat up on yourself. We all make mistakes. The key to driving (no pun intended, haha) is to keep on keeping on. You'll hit mailboxes, curbs, other people's cars, road signs, and maybe even some houses (not like i've ever done that ), but it's never the end of the world so long as you learn from your mistakes and have fun with it. Good luck! You will be in my prayers!!

Let us know if and when you do get your license and how the whole learning to drive experience goes for you. God bless!

I am 18 and I am just staring. My sister is a month of 20 and hasn't got hers. It is alright some people never get theirs or takes forever.

Purpleotter, that is so, so, so exciting!!! It's definitely not too late! And if you're determined to learn to drive, I don't believe there's anything that will keep you from learning.

Just remember...if you get really nervous when first learning to drive, don't beat up on yourself or give up or feel pressured into keeping on driving just because you're nineteen years old. Try it out and see how it feels. Take it slow if you need to. Once you learn to drive, it's so much fun. Not to mention liberating. I never felt more like an independent adult than when I took the car out on my own for the very first time in my life.

Also, I can speak from experience when I say that you will inevitably have experiences while driving and make mistakes that make you seriously question your decision and desire to learn to drive. Don't give up on yourself and don't beat up on yourself. We all make mistakes. The key to driving (no pun intended, haha) is to keep on keeping on. You'll hit mailboxes, curbs, other people's cars, road signs, and maybe even some houses (not like i've ever done that ), but it's never the end of the world so long as you learn from your mistakes and have fun with it. Good luck! You will be in my prayers!!

Let us know if and when you do get your license and how the whole learning to drive experience goes for you. God bless!

Thanks . I'm going to take a home school driving program that my brother and sister also took. I can practice driving at home, with driver's Ed books. Then when I'm ready I can take the test. It sounds like a good fit for me, I plan to practice the basics this summer and my goal will be to have my license. The car that I want is a Volkswagen Beetle, I think those are cute

Nice! I went through the parent taught driver's ed as well. My mom would take me out for practice drives on dirt roads and my dad was the one who took me out on the highway when I was ready. It was a fun experience learning from both of them.

It's no more "too late" to learn to drive than too late to learn to read, and you mastered that pretty well, right?

A tip: get an ugly old clunker car and a naturally calm and easy-going person, and go to the parking lot of some very large place that has no customers that day. Say, a college lot or mall.

Alternately, go to a country road with essentially no traffic. (But do check for ditches and potholes first! No sense in making your first trip a visit from the tow truck.)

The idea is to get a feel for driving with a vehicle you can't destroy, with a helper you can't scare, in a place where nobody can get hurt. Then, when your "real" driver's ed teacher takes you out on the freeway, you'll already know where the steering wheel, gas, and brakes are.

Hi Purpleotter, and welcome to the exciting world of being a new driver!

Just because most people you know learned when they were still at high school doesn't make it 'normal'.
Plenty of people have had to wait longer, and I know some who very much older than you before they got their licence. (In fact, there's part of the brain that doesn't mature until one's early 20s, so it's probably better!)

Take it easy, have plenty of practice on quiet roads (find two or three older experienced drivers who will take turns to give their time and advice), and keep watching.