Four days ago my son received his driver's license. I wrote a couple times about his adventures learning how to drive, or more specifically, the years I lost off my life span riding as his passenger.

Now the child is on the road solo ... God Bless us all.

I can report that in the first 96 hours he has had his driver's license, he has managed to go through three tanks of gas, run his battery down after leaving his headlights on, and even managed to pop his front right tire hitting a curb.

I should open a tow truck business. Thank the Lord for Triple A.

I have mixed emotions about my son driving ... and not just because of the car mishaps. It's great that I don't have to drive him to the three soccer practices and game each week for the 48 weeks out of the year he plays. It's cool I don't have to get him to his school events, which he invariably announces at the last minute every time. I'm thrilled that he can now drive himself to his own doctor appointments, singing lessons, sports events and the bazillion times he just hangs out with friends. I'm a free man! Or, am I?

What I have gained in free time, I have filled up with worrying. I knew the day would come when he'd leave the nest—I just wish it wasn't at 35 miles an hour inside a vehicle licensed to kill. I don't like the loss of control I feel. I don't like that my son could have a serious accident. I don't like the DMV dude who gave my son a passing grade.

I am quite certain that there are thousands of empty-nest parents reading these words and laughing. They have gone through exactly what I am experiencing, and now chuckling that I am acting as if I'm the first dad to experience the “new driver jitters.” Or, are they laughing? Does the feeling ever go away? Even when your child is 29 years old and fully employed, are you ever comfortable that he or she is out in the big world driving on his or her own?

I suspect not.

To combat my fears, I have found myself in the last 96 hours offering my son as many things to think about on the road that I can muster. While making my son a peanut butter and jelly sandwich two days ago, I told him that 43,000 people die each year on the highways. As I congratulated him on his successful math test, I said, “Always remember—safety is a cheap and effective insurance policy.” And while we enjoyed a belly laugh over a TV episode last night, I explained that there's nothing worse than flying through your windshield at 80 miles an hour because you forgot to buckle up.

Yep, I have a lot more where those came from, let me tell you. I just hope when he's 30 he's still listening.

Ken Swarner is author of Whose Kids Are These Anyway?