| It is a Saturday afternoon, a perfect afternoon to | | | | and compact cars, you just have to look |
| run your errands and do all that time-consuming | | | | around.Make sure the driving school's instructors |
| shopping you have been putting off for the past | | | | are capable. A restaurant's only as good as their |
| week. You need 1) to buy groceries, 2) get an | | | | chefs and a driving school is only as good as their |
| outfit for cousin Betty's wedding next week, 3) | | | | instructors. A legitimate driving school hires |
| to help high school grad-to-be Johnny select a | | | | professional, highly trained instructors to teach |
| college, and 4) sign up 15 year old Tina for drivers | | | | their students. Some of the leading-edge schools |
| education. It sure is going to be a busy Saturday, | | | | even hire instructors who have strong |
| better get to work!So, after sitting down for 15 | | | | backgrounds working with teens. Studies show |
| minutes and making a grocery list, you head to | | | | that teens learn more effectively when they are |
| the local market and spend another hour and a | | | | mentored, not dictated to. Furthermore, the best |
| half picking out the perfect cantaloupe, sirloin, and | | | | driving schools will thoroughly screen their |
| finding the best deal on bread. Now it's off to the | | | | instructors with background and drug tests. After |
| mall where you are determined to find that | | | | all, you should be able to trust leaving your child |
| perfect ensemble of clothing to wear to the big | | | | with an instructor without having any reservations. |
| wedding. Two hours and four department stores | | | | Finally, top driving schools also have a mix of both |
| later, it's in the bag and you're finally on your way. | | | | male and female instructors, allowing you to |
| You get home and look at your to-do list: find | | | | choose the best fit for you.Choose a driving |
| college for Johnny. "Well," you think to yourself, | | | | school with nothing to hide. Your first instinct |
| "that'll take a few days to figure out, I'll just | | | | about the quality of a driving school is probably |
| tackle that when I have a few days off from | | | | your best. A good driving school usually will give |
| work." Finally, you come to the end of your | | | | you a good feeling from the start. If you ask |
| checklist and let out a sigh of relief, all you have | | | | specific questions, you get specific, no nonsense |
| to do is sign up little Tina for driving school. You | | | | answers. In addition, a respectable driving school |
| open up the yellow pages, dial seven digits, and | | | | will keep you in tune with what's going on with |
| five minutes later Tina's enrolled at Uncle Bill's | | | | your child. Some advanced schools in California |
| Driving School and you're half way to your bed | | | | actually provide written feedback after each |
| for a nap.So let's recap, shall we? You spent an | | | | lesson regarding the child's progress. One good |
| hour and a half buying food for the next week, 2 | | | | test of a driving school's reliability is requesting to |
| hours purchasing clothes you'll wear for a day, | | | | accompany your child on his or her fist lesson. An |
| you'll need several days to select that college | | | | upright driving school will accommodate this |
| Johnny will attend for four years, and it took you | | | | request.Verify basic driving school services are |
| five minutes to select your daughter's driver | | | | intact. Unfortunately, many driving schools are just |
| training that she will not only use for the rest of | | | | trying to make a quick buck and don't provide |
| her life, but that will hopefully save her from one | | | | some of the basic services a customer would |
| of life's most lethal tasks: driving.Did you know | | | | come to expect. For example, make sure your |
| that the number one cause of death for teens | | | | child is the only student in the car during their |
| ages 15-19, according to the National Center of | | | | lesson, not splitting their time with multiple teen |
| Health Statistics, is automobile accidents (they | | | | drivers. Also, will the driving school pick you up at |
| account for nearly 40% of all teen deaths)? It's | | | | your front door? From school? From work? Or do |
| no secret that teen drivers have a higher rate of | | | | you have to drop your child off for their lesson. |
| serious and deadly accidents than other drivers. | | | | Does the driving school have cell phones in their |
| Many of these accidents are caused by common | | | | cars in case of emergencies? Do they have a |
| mistakes, or an incomplete knowledge of traffic | | | | GPS tracking system in their training vehicles in |
| laws. With these poignant statistics, it's a wonder | | | | case you need to track down your child? And a |
| parents don't take choosing a driving school more | | | | good driving school will keep an open line of |
| seriously. The knowledge gained from a good, | | | | communication with you between lessons - are |
| qualified driving school decreases the chances of | | | | you getting feedback from them after each |
| being involved in a costly, injurious or possibly | | | | lesson?Find a driving school with several products |
| deadly collision. When choosing the right driving | | | | to offer. A successful driving school usually offers |
| school for you or your loved ones, there are | | | | more than just the basic or minimum driving |
| some obvious and not-so-obvious points to | | | | packages. If they're experienced, they know that |
| consider.Price should not be a factor. Driver | | | | not all students learn at the same level and may |
| training is one of the most important investments | | | | need different amounts and types of training. |
| you'll ever make for your teen. When looking for | | | | Some good questions to ask a prospective driving |
| a driving school, there is usually an inverse | | | | school might be, "Do you offer special freeway |
| relationship between price and quality. Though the | | | | training?" or "Do you have special courses that |
| most expensive school isn't automatically the | | | | help prepare for the DMV drive test?" Also, find |
| best, there is a reason why certain schools | | | | out if they have various hourly packages; most |
| charge less than others. Some driving schools cut | | | | respectable schools offer 6, 10, 20, and 30 hour |
| corners by investing in cheaper, less safe vehicles. | | | | drive packages. Again, inquire about their vehicle |
| Others hire unqualified instructors that they find | | | | line, do they just have cars available for training, |
| on the street and can pay minimal wages. Not to | | | | or can you train in an SUV if desired?Make sure |
| mention, most inexpensive schools teach "off the | | | | you they can accommodate your schedule. If you |
| top of their head," and have not taken the time | | | | decide to go with a "mom and pops" driving |
| or money required preparing a structured, | | | | school, plan on scheduling your lessons around |
| comprehensive curriculum. If you find a school | | | | their calendar. If they only have one or two cars, |
| you like, but the price is a little steeper than you | | | | chances are you'll have to go when they are |
| expected, find out if they have a payment plan. | | | | ready to take you. A well-rounded driving school |
| Many customer friendly driving schools not only | | | | should have a fleet of vehicles (and instructors) |
| help you by breaking up costs into affordable | | | | so that you can schedule lessons around your life. |
| payments, they also offer promotional discounts | | | | Furthermore, they should cater to the time of |
| to help lower the price.Verify the driving school is | | | | day you would like to schedule your teen. Do |
| licensed in your state. If your child needed | | | | they have early morning lessons? How about |
| surgery, you surely wouldn't take them to an | | | | evening lessons for practicing during the |
| unlicensed surgeon. Don't make the same mistake | | | | nighttime.Driving schools should be able to help get |
| when choosing a driving school. Licensed schools | | | | your permit. It's very common for driving schools |
| truly have to earn their credentials by complying | | | | that teach behind the wheel training to also offer |
| with a number of state laws and regulations. You | | | | some sort of driver education to help get your |
| can check on the status of any licensed driving | | | | permit. If the driving school doesn't offer the |
| school and verify what type of courses they are | | | | education you need to get your permit, they |
| approved for. For example, in California, the DMV | | | | should at least be able to refer you to someone |
| provides a free driving school look-up service | | | | who does. Of the driving schools that do offer |
| located at If a school is not on their list, keep | | | | driver education, many only offer it in a classroom |
| looking!Review the driving school's website. You | | | | setting. The more credible schools are heeding the |
| may not always be able to judge a book by its | | | | results of a CA DMV study conducted in 2003. |
| cover, but you can get a pretty good idea of | | | | The study showed that students who received |
| what's inside. The same is true of driving schools | | | | their education online or via a computer based |
| and their websites, and you should take the time | | | | program outperformed and tested higher than |
| to see what their site has to offer. Is the site | | | | students who sat through the traditional |
| professional? Is it easy to use? How about the | | | | classroom training. As a result, progressive driving |
| content - is it pertinent, helpful, and organized | | | | schools have made the investment and now offer |
| well? Does the site have just minimal information, | | | | their education via the Internet. When choosing an |
| or does it go above and beyond what you'd | | | | online course for your child, double check that the |
| expect? Is contact information clearly stated and | | | | online course has been DMV approved and is not |
| easy to find? If you answer no to any of these | | | | some unsanctioned course created just to take |
| questions, you might want to say no to that | | | | your money.Is the Driving School involved with |
| driving school.Customer service should be a | | | | the community? Ask them what programs they |
| priority. A good test for any service-based | | | | are affiliated with outside of their own driving |
| company is to see how helpful and professional | | | | school. Do they work with any teen driving |
| their customer service is. After all, if they have | | | | organizations like DARE or SADD? Do they go to |
| poor customer service before you are their | | | | high schools and talk with kids about driving |
| customer, who knows how they will treat you | | | | defensively, drugs and alcohol, etc. Do they |
| once they've already got your money. Put a list | | | | champion the high schools in their community, or |
| of questions together and give the driving school | | | | are they just out to make a profit and don't give |
| a call. Most reputable companies will have well | | | | back? A successful driving school knows that the |
| trained phone staff that should be able to answer | | | | driver training business is a long term venture and |
| any question you have regarding getting your | | | | that being a positive part of society is an |
| permit or license. And they should answer those | | | | important part of being around for years to |
| questions with a positive attitude. If a school | | | | come.As you can see, choosing a suitable driving |
| representative answers the call on a cell phone, | | | | school requires a little more forethought than |
| they probably don't have an office or they are in | | | | opening up the yellow pages and randomly dialing |
| the middle of a driving lesson. This should raise a | | | | a phone number. While many teens may opt to |
| red flag and you should run, not walk, in the other | | | | take the quickest and easiest route they can find, |
| direction.What does the driving school offer in the | | | | a prudent parent knows that this is not a decision |
| way of training vehicles? One of the most | | | | that should be rushed. After all, your 15-year-old |
| overlooked aspects of driver training is the vehicle | | | | "baby" is about to get behind a 3,000-pound |
| used to train your teen. Shouldn't the primary tool | | | | machine, a machine that many Department of |
| used to train be of primary concern? Many of the | | | | Motor Vehicles consider a deadly weapon. So |
| best schools train in up-to-date vehicles equipped | | | | before you "load that gun", make sure you do |
| with extra safety equipment such as side & head | | | | your part by "putting the safety on", that is, get |
| curtain airbags and vehicle stability control | | | | them the best driver training possible.Chris Kramer |
| systems. Another item to consider is the type of | | | | is a content writer for both and Drivers Ed Direct. |
| vehicle you will train in. If your teen will be driving | | | | Check out our websites for more information |
| an SUV as their primary vehicle, it makes sense | | | | about online traffic school or drivers education for |
| to have them trained in an SUV. There are | | | | teens. |
| schools out there that offer lessons in both SUV's | | | | |