Many people look forward to having their first car, which many get in high school. 

As you probably know, there are many ways to get a car. To name a few, you can buy your first car, new or used, at a dealership or buy it from a family member or friend. You can also get a car for your birthday or a used car from a family member. 

Something that comes along with a car is of course a driver’s license or a driver’s permit. As you may know in New York State once someone turns sixteen, they may get their permit. You must be 16 years old to participate.

Luckily at Victor, we have the chance to take a driver’s education program, which only costs $450. This may seem pricey but it gives you a 10% discount on the first 3 years of an insurance policy. Once completed, a student can get their full license at only seventeen! The state requires each student who participates in the program to spend 24 hours in the car and 24 hours in the classroom.

As you probably know, we also have a parking lot located next to the North entrance where Teachers and Seniors park. If you haven’t gotten the chance to see this parking lot you’re missing out on tons of pieces of artwork on parking spaces that students have created throughout the years. You can also paint your senior parking spot if you want.

Registration for parking spaces for Seniors includes a VCS Student Parking Permit Application and a Time-stamped Parking Registration Form found on the Victor Central Schools Website.

The driver’s ed program we offer has 3 different courses. 1 in the fall, 1 in the winter-spring time that starts right after Christmas break, and 1 that runs throughout the summer. 

During the school year program, students in Victor drive once a week during the school year which takes almost the whole semester. During the summer, students drive every day and can finish it in potentially 16 days, which you have to come every single day to do. 

Now of course one of the benefits of buying a used car is that it costs less but there are also some other benefits to buying used. 

To name a couple, the value of a used car decreases less than the value of a new car. Because used cars cost less, you can get more value for your money with the options that used cars provide or even a higher-end make or model. 

Some tips that Mr. Purdie shared with me about driving and getting your first car are:

• Every time you’re in the car, try to drive. If your parents say no, politely push back.
• Try to sit in the front if you aren’t driving.
• When you’re in the car, put away your phone! You need to learn how to go places, you probably don’t know what road signs mean or the right of way. He suggests “Starting at 14 or so put your phone down and look out the window. If you see a road sign that you don’t know ask what it means. If you’re at an intersection tell your mom ‘How do you know whose turn it is to go?’”
• Ask questions when you don’t know something when you are in the car.
• When buying a car, it’s probably safer to buy a newer one despite it being more pricey. A used car may not have side airbags or the crumple zone may not be as good.
• Look at IIHS and crash ratings when you buy a car. Despite specific types of makes from different manufacturers being very similar, the crash “worthiness” and ratings will differ.

If you have any questions about driver’s ed check out the school website or contact Mr. Purdie.