Operating a vehicle is very intimidating for non-drivers. Completing driver education course and driver training will help a non-driver develop basic vehicle control and traffic maneuvers. Driver education and training teach an aspiring driver how to safely operate a vehicle on busy streets at nights and during other driving circumstances. Driver education stresses the importance of how to adjust a vehicle’s steering wheel, seat, and rear and side-view mirrors.
Driver education will also teach the aspiring driver how to communicate while driving, how to enter and exit traffic, change lanes, and adjusting the speed of the vehicle when necessary.
An aspiring driver, in the course of his driver training, will learn about various traffic signals and markings that he will encounter on the road. Most importantly, driver education and training will help the aspiring driver develop his ability to foresee road hazards and unsafe conditions, including other drivers that could be more dangerous than your own driving ability.
Good driver education coupled with driver training, which involves actual behind-the wheel instruction, is the foundation for the skills and attitudes that will help you for the rest of your life. Attending a driver education or training classes will help you lower your chances of being involved in accidents, help you avoid traffic tickets, and make you a safe and better driver.
Driver education or driver training are offered at public or private high schools, or government-licensed driving schools. In most states of the US, driver education must include the following:
- A minimum of 25 hours of classroom instruction. The 25-hour period does include breaks or mealtimes.
- Home study or an Internet training program. If you opt for the home study or an Internet training program, it should be equivalent to the requirements of the classroom instruction.
Driver training must consist of the following:
- A minimum of hour hours of driver training.
- Driver training is limited to two hours per day. If you are a passenger in a car and you are observing how the driver drives, the time does not count toward the 6 hours that you are required to complete. You must spend a total of 6 hours of actual driving.
Choosing your driving school
If you are a high-school student, driver education and driver training are offered by your school. If you are not a student, you may enroll in a government-licensed driving school. It will be best if you will choose a driving school in the area where you live. It will be easier to learn to drive in the streets that you are familiar with. You can ask family members or friends for the driving school where they went. Through this, you can gather information about the school and its driving instructors.
Before choosing a driving school, you need to check first if the school is licensed by an appropriate government agency, which may be different from state to state. If you do not know where to start, you may the DMV of your state.
You should check first the curriculum of the driving school. Some states have state-mandated curriculums. If your state does not have a mandated curriculum, check if the driving school is approved by a nationally recognized organization such as the National Safety Council or the American Safety Council.
If you plan to enroll in a non-online driving school, go and see what the classroom looks like. Find out the equipment they are using such as driving simulators. Check also if they have textbooks or driving booklets that they give out. Find out also how long the school has been in business.
You must check out the cars used by the driving school. Assess the kind and shape of the vehicles they use in the driver training. Vehicles used by driving schools must be properly marked as student-driver cars. Check also if the cars have undergone regular inspections. The driving school must have liability insurance to ensure that the student will be adequately covered.
Once you feel confident that you have the necessary skills and experience to safely drive a vehicle alone, it is time for you to apply for a driver’s license in your state.
References:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/teenweb/permit_btn1/driver_ed
https://yogov.org/blog/california-drivers-license/