[00:00:05.300] - Speaker 3
Brent, Elizabeth, look, I have little ones. When little ones hit the road, that's when you really start worrying as a parent. What happens when a child turns 15 or 16 and is wanting to go out there and get that driver's license?

[00:00:17.670] - Speaker 1
Well, that's a really good question, and it's a good question because I mess it up myself, honestly, with my two children. The first thing you need to do when your child turns 15 and you start to apply to get them able to take the license is call your insurance agent. We failed to do that with my son, Max, and in the end, we had to go in the last day and get an actual form saying that he was covered on insurance. So there are steps you want to do upfront because while they're practicing driving and learning how to drive the car, you want to make sure if they get into an accident, there is coverage.

[00:00:50.220] - Speaker 3
So what is important to let your child know once they're on the road, and if they do, unfortunately, get in an accident?

[00:00:56.700] - Speaker 2
I think the biggest thing is get them in driver's Ed as soon as possible. In North and South Carolina, you have to take courses before you can get your license. Just make sure they're enrolled in that early so they know what's going on. Hopefully, avoid incidents in the future.

[00:01:12.090] - Speaker 1
Both states do a really good job of making sure that the children take the driving test first so they know the rules of the road before they get on the road. Then they do a really good job of having them log in. There's an app that they have to log in so the state can see before they even apply They have their driver's license that they've had so many driving hours in the daytime, driving hours at night. So they do a good job of monitoring that. Now, that's only as good as the parents make it, because if you don't use the app, you can go in and file an affidavit saying your kid drove more than they did, helping them get their license. But in the end, if you get into a wreck and you falsified that log, I think that's something that as attorneys, we would really be interested in seeing when going after and pursuing a claim against that family whose kid caused injuries to somebody somebody else.

[00:02:00.780] - Speaker 3
All right, Brent, is there any advice you could give parents whose kids are about to hit the road and start driving?

[00:02:05.900] - Speaker 1
The bar exam, hard, right? Not nearly as hard as letting your kid drive when you're sitting in the passenger seat. I would say take advantage of driver's Ed courses. Pay the money. It's going to save you a lot of grief, prevent you from heart failure. It is really rough to sit in that car with your kid driving. So either A, let a grandparent teach them, let a neighbor teach them, but the least you can do until they get before they're drive ready is probably better for you and your nerves and your relationship with your child.

[00:02:38.390] - Speaker 3
There it is. Just a couple of tips to help you out from our good friends at Stewart Law.

[00:02:43.430] - Speaker 1
This QC Morning segment was sponsored by Stewart Law Offices.