The 50-Hour Rule: Why Practice Time Matters More Than You Think
In most states, teens are required to log at least 50 hours of supervised driving before they can take their driver’s license test, including a portion at night. But here’s the thing—this number is a minimum, not a guarantee of readiness. Real safety comes from mastering a wide variety of skills in different driving environments, not just reaching an arbitrary time goal. The first 12 months of independent driving are the riskiest period of a teen’s life on the road. Many crashes occur because new drivers simply haven’t faced enough varied scenarios to react instinctively when something unexpected happens—like a sudden lane change from another driver, merging into heavy traffic, or navigating in bad weather. If you break down 50 hours […]
