MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee School students are ready to become the newest licensed drivers on the road. TMJ4 News was there as they finished their final driver’s education class to become legal drivers.
Iris Yu and Grace Marriott are finishing up their driver’s education program through the MPS Drive Program. It allows Milwaukee Public School students to pay $35, the cost of their permit and get both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. Sophomores Yu and Marriott are finishing their behind-the-wheel classes with Arcade Driving School.
In Wisconsin, teenagers can wait until they are 18 years old and then just get their license without going through the classes. But both Yu and Marriott say students at their schools don't want to skip that step. They want to take the classes because they want to drive while in high school.
"I think a lot of people I know are talking about driver's ed, doing driver's ed or they have done it already,” said Yu, a sophomore at Rufus King High School.
"I want to get my license so I can take my sister's places,” said Marriott, a sophomore at Milwaukee School of Languages.
Marriott wants to get her license on the day she turns 16 years old in May.
"This is your last behind-the-wheel class?" asked TMJ4 reporter Rebecca Klopf.
“ Yes,” said Marriott.
“So, then you are ready to go?” asked Klopf.
"Yes, legally,” said Marriott.
Yu has an approach that leaders at MPS Drive say they are seeing more often. Students want their licenses but they aren't rushing to get them.
"I don't feel like I'm ready to do it, do the road test,” said Yu.
She says she is going to practice more with her parents before she takes her road test. But she is excited to get that piece of independence when she is ready.
"I have a lot of places I want to go and my parents can't take me all the time,” said Yu.
She expects to take her road test in the next few weeks. Aside from taking the driver’s ed classes, Wisconsin law also requires students have 50 hours of driving on their own with a licensed driver who is 21 years old or older. Both girls have also already completed those hours.
