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A family gathers in front of an outdoor grill
Family Celebrations
Family Celebrations
  1. Birthdays
  2. The Tooth Fairy
  3. Baptisms
  4. La Quinceanera
  5. Driver’s License
  6. Bar Mitzvah
  7. Apache Sunrise Ceremonial
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A young driver excited about being behind the wheel.
Photo from PASS Virginia.
Driver’s License
Many American teenagers eagerly look forward to the day they can drive a car. Car keys symbolize freedom, responsibility, and adulthood. In order to drive, one must first obtain a driver’s license. Each state sets its own driver’s license requirements, but most states require a written test, a vision test, and a driving test. The minimum age to drive differs depending on the state. A person must reach the age of sixteen in Connecticut, Texas, and Hawaii in order to get a driver’s license. In Montana, a person can acquire a license at the age of fifteen if a driver’s education course is taken; without a driver’s education course, the age is sixteen. The state of New York allows seventeen year olds to drive with the completion of a driver’s education course. Without the course, the age is eighteen. A driver’s education class teaches road rules and automobile safety. Students also have the opportunity to practice their driving skills with a driving instructor. But even if someone takes the course and reaches the minimum driving age, he or she must also pass the driving test. Once a teenager receives a license, he or she will probably be allowed to drive the family car.
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