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