Agreed: Teens can wait for car keys

Last week we heard from alert reader Sharon, who was trying to decide whether to let her daughter get her driver's license at age 16. She wanted some perspectives from other parents, and Roadguy's readers stepped forward. Read on.

Debbie from Anoka has a son and a daughter, and before they got their licenses ...

I insisted that they have one whole year of driving with an adult with them and that they go through one year of winter driving. We live in a state that has more changes in road conditions than any other, and people have a tendency to forget how to drive in different conditions, so therefore, that was what I required. Both my kids are in their 30s, good drivers and I'd like to think that that had something to do with it.

Melindy's daughter was about to get her license on her 16th birthday, but just beforehand, the girl lied to her parents about her whereabouts one evening. Because they felt they couldn't trust her, Melindy and her husband decided to "suspend" the girl's license for half a year:

During those six months, October through March, we let our daughter drive every time we went anywhere, regardless of the weather, instructing her on traffic rules and driving techniques. By the time spring rolled around, she was an excellent and experienced driver, not to mention a more responsible teenager. This "punishment" turned out to be one of the best life lessons for all of us. Even if your teen doesn't break the rules, I'd recommend it!

Steve from Maple Grove points out that sometimes the decision to wait is a unanimous one, and there can be an economic benefit:

Both of our kids (now 24 and 21 years old) kept their permits for an extra year before getting their license at age 17. This was a mutual parent/teen decision. Neither felt in a hurry to get a license. This not only gave them an extra year of experience before driving on their own, but saved us a bundle on car insurance! They both maintain an accident-free record today.

Our last perspective is from Patricia from Hopkins, who was walking across a street last month when a 16-year-old driver struck her:

I have a fractured knee and probably will be affected by this for the rest of my life, so I have some really strong views on when teens should get their driver's license.

I think I would, too.

A different household debate

Alert reader Todd wants to know why the big green signs on Hwy. 169 just mention that 694 goes east when in fact it goes both east and west at that point. (That stretch of 694 is also I-94, and the I-94 signs say both east and west.) Todd writes:

Both my father and I have been scolded by our wives for giving bad directions because they couldn't find 694 west.... Why does MnDOT insist on making us look bad?

Heather Lott, the Minnesota Department of Transportation's sign guru for the metro area, said the situation will be remedied in a round of sign replacements scheduled for 2014. So Todd and his dad have some hope of looking good -- eventually.

Questions or comments? Contact Jim Foti at 612-673-4491 or roadguy@startribune.com.