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Posts Tagged ‘driver training’

Given the poor history of driver’s education in the United States, the emergence of professional driving schools that can “make a difference” is a much needed addition to local communities. Over 20,000 teens die every year in the U.S. and many times that many are involved in collisions that include injury, car repair cost, increased insurance cost, and a variety of other ancillary costs. In order to make the critical informed decision about what driving school to choose, the following criteria can help sort out the driver training program of preference:

Engagement is one of the keys to teen education and this applies to driver’s education as well. Are the driving lessons challenging? Do the instructors strive to motivate their students to continually improve? Is there communication between the driving school and the parent with feedback forms, web site status, etc.?

A key element of driver training is having a professional driving instructor. Find out whether the instructor’s training has exceeded the minimum requirements. Many instructors barely have the minimum required training. Other times police officers are used who are good at law enforcement, but not necessarily at driving instruction. Ask if they have received the same amount of training as professional instructors.

Convenience is another key factor in driving school selection. Are the driving lessons held close to home or school? Can you schedule behind the wheel drives online 7×24? Does the driving school have a dedicated customer center? There should be someone available to answer questions throughout the driver training process.

Proven Results: Very few driving schools can demonstrate how well they’ve trained their students. Are there reliable statistics available that show the results of their driving lessons? Do they have a money back guarantee? Are they committed to making their students excellent drivers or simply just trying to get them a license?

Most schools simply teach from old materials or have an outdated presentation. You should ask the driving school if they invest in the development of their program. A great driving school should have dedicated curriculum developers on staff – find out how much they’re investing in your teen’s training programs. A great driving school should be working with the research community leading to the building of driving lessons that are state of the art. Does the driving school invest in creating innovative systems for tracking student progress and scheduling drives?

A great driving school contributes to the community. This contribution can happen in a variety of ways and you should ask how they contribute. Have they actively backed legislature for the betterment of teen driving, such as cell phone laws? Have they sponsored programs, such as Washington’s Drive Nice Day? Do they work with local private and public schools?

The bottom line: Its your teen’s life and well-being that is at risk during their first year of driving an automobile. Its important to understand that there is a large variance between driving schools in what they can provide for your teen. Proper selection of a driving school is critical. Its not your Grandfather’s driver training any more and you now have the ability to select a driving school that can really make a difference in your teen’s ability to survive and thrive throughout their driving experience.

About the Author: Joe Driverson is a member of SWERVE’s team whose mission is to “Change The Way People Drive”. Please see SWERVE Driving School for more information on SWERVE’s driver training programs and its innovative and challenging approach to driver’s education.