[originaltext] (29) To get a driver’s license in the U. S., all states requ

(29) To get a driver’s license in the U. S., all states require that you be above a certain age, that you know how to drive, and that you know about traffic laws and safety rules.
     In most states, you have to be at least sixteen years old to start learning to drive. Anyone younger than that who sits behind the wheel of a moving car is violating the law, even ff he or she is closely supervised. (30) Age sixteen is also the minimum age in most states for taking driver’s education courses in schools.
     Driver’s education courses begin with classroom instruction on the rules of the road and traffic laws. You learn, for example, how fast it is safe to go in certain areas, what to do ff a fire engine is near, and what the different road signs mean, When you finish the classroom course, you can apply for a Learner’s Permit. In some states you have to take a test before you receive the permit.
     When you have your Learner’s Permit, you are allowed to drive a car under supervision. This means that you can drive only when you are accompanied by a licensed driver. It is during this period that you actually learn to drive. You learn to steer the car, to start it, to pass other cars, to park and all the other practical things you will need to know.
    (31) Your Learner’s Permit is good for only a limited amount of time, since it is expected that you will be ready to take the test for your license after a relatively short period of instruction.