When teens are asked why they want their driver’s licenses, they often answer, “for freedom and independence.” But even getting a permit can be difficult, and if you don’t comply with certain restrictions on your permit and license, the freedom and independence you wanted so much and worked so hard for can quickly disappear. That’s why skimming the handbook and memorizing a few facts that are quickly forgotten as soon as you pass your written test is not a good use of your time. You should take a practice permit test course, and you can do so online, from the comfort of your home.

It is difficult to learn enough from the handbook to pass the written test at the driver’s license office. Simply reading the handbook is not enough. It is almost impossible for anyone, even your parents, to anticipate every type of question that might be asked on the test. The questions on the written test are typically pulled from a database of over 500 questions. Every test is random, so talking to your friends about what their tests were like won’t help you. And questions on the test are written with the assumption that you understand the entire handbook, so knowing just a few parts of the handbook well won’t be sufficient for you to achieve the minimum passing score on the test, which is usually 80%.

A practice permit test course helps you pass the written test because it replicates the experience of taking the test at the driver’s license office. Often, people are surprised when they take an online written test because they realize how little they remember even after reading the handbook. You don’t want that surprise when you’re already at the driver’s license office! Many states charge you a fee and make you wait several days to retake the test if you fail. That means you have to get your parent or guardian to make the trip all over again. With an online practice course, you can take tests as many times as it takes to feel totally comfortable with the material. Some courses even offer a guarantee that you will pass your test at the driver’s license office after passing the practice tests a certain number of times.

But an online DMV practice permit test course does more than help you pass the written test to get your learner’s permit. It helps you remember information that will help you keep your driver’s license and make you a safer driver. For example, many states now have graduated licensing programs that specify a variety of laws for new drivers, including curfew hours. If you don’t know those laws, you won’t follow them – and not following them could mean losing your permit or license. And of course, if you don’t know and follow the rules of the road, you could get tickets or worse, have a crash that results in property damage, injury or death. Even worse than losing your license would be causing harm to someone else, perhaps one of your friends, or losing your own life.

Hopefully, you’ll have your driver’s license for many years. Why not invest in it so you’ll have a smooth start?