Driving School – What to Look For in a Driving School
When you first sit down to register for a driving school, you are likely to be overwhelmed by all the different options. You might even feel like you need to try out every single school on your list before deciding which one will best meet your needs. While enrolling in driving school is an important step towards a new driving career, it’s not necessary to enroll in the first school you find. There are many ways to choose a driving school, and you should be aware of them before making a decision. Here are some things to look for in a driving school.
What is Your Driver’s License Fee? Any reputable driving school will be able to let you know the average percentage of students who successfully complete their course and then go on to successfully pass all of their driving exams to get their driver’s license in their state. The better the grade point average, the better the school’s reputation, which means the less you’ll have to pay to enroll in the driving program.
Does the Driving School Have a Service Agreement? Before you decide to enroll in a driving school, you’ll need to understand what kind of services each school is going to offer you as a student. A service agreement is typically included with your tuition, and it is essentially a legal agreement that the school must provide to you in case something happens to your car while you’re in their care. For example, you may not sign this document if you have any plans to take another driving class since one accident and you’ll have to start all over again. If you don’t sign this agreement, you may wind up having your tuition refunded, which means you must provide proof of signing the document before the next semester starts.
What are the Additional Requirements for Enrollment at Driving Schools? Some driving schools will require additional education and training sessions prior to getting your driver’s license, including classroom discussions, hands-on practice sessions with an instructor, and more. Others are much less strict about the additional requirements but may still require you to submit a copy of your school transcript and your driving school license to prove that you met all the requirements. This doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t have to take the course again, but the instructors will be much stricter in verifying that you meet all the requirements prior to approving your enrollment.
Will My Instructional Material be Provided by a Qualified supervising instructor? Every driving school must have a qualified supervising instructor who is responsible for providing students with hands-on instruction during classroom sessions. It is important to find a supervising instructor who has been trained in CPR and first aid and has experience teaching students how to safely operate a vehicle. Additionally, the supervising instructor must possess extensive knowledge of the traffic laws of your state and of the specific traffic rules governing your state. As well, they should possess extensive knowledge of the defensive driving techniques that are mandatory in all states, as well as any other driving safety techniques or courses that are deemed appropriate.
Can I Get One-On-One Instruction? In addition to having a supervising instructor, you will also need to meet one-on-one with a driver in a class who is assigned to you. Each one-on-one session is usually 30 minutes long and will allow you to discuss your concerns with your instructor concerning the content of the upcoming session. You will be able to openly discuss any questions or concerns you might have about the content of the instruction and will be encouraged to ask any questions that you might have regarding the process or the classroom environment.
Does the School Offer a Safe Classroom? Each driving school offers its own classrooms and different types of classes. Some are designed to simulate a wide range of driving environments, while others are designed to provide students with simulated traffic situations that are comparable to those that they would encounter on the street. The driving instructor can also provide you with instructions or practice exercises through the use of a video or DVD that you may keep behind your seat in your car or vehicle during your class.
Does the Driving School Have Existing Instructors? Some driving schools choose to hire their own instructors. While there are certainly some extremely talented driving instructors out there, most driving schools are only interested in hiring those who have been professionally trained, and who have received extensive experience in handling different situations that may arise in traffic. If you are interested in becoming a driving school instructor, you will likely need to meet the requirements of each driving school that you are considering attending.
