Driver's Ed Classes for Teens - Advice Needed Please

Hi! I live in MA and every state has its own rules but I sent my son to one that has been around forever (1957) and has a certified skid school with great reviews. Totally worth the extra distance and money. And Steven would tell you the skid school was the most worthwhile part. He'd been driving my 20 yr old van so a car was easy when he finally got there and we have talked a lot over the years about rules and scenarios. The classroom part for him was three hours a night for two weeks, I don't think those all day things are a good idea either.

ETA- Here they have to do 12 hours of driving, no more than one hour at a time. Is six hours really enough to set them loose on the world?

I can't answer to your specific area. I can only speak about TX.

Our classes have to be done outside of school and when my daughter was in the class, it was about $400.

Instead of taking a 2+ month nightly class with 2 nights of class a week, we opted for the nightly classes M-Th for 3 weeks instead to get it over with. What they retain depends on your child, their study habits and interest in getting a license in the future. All testing was done at this school and submitted to the state.

Drive times were very specific and HARD to get. Our school posted new drive times at 8pm online on Monday nights. If you were not sitting on the computer with your computer set up ready to accept a drivetime, you would not get one. They were swept up quickly.

Our students had to have 7 scheduled drives with an instructor and another student for 2 hours. I never heard of them running errands, etc... the course my daughter took was very strict and by the book.

We purchased extra one on one drive times with an instructor for $40 per hour. We felt like she was getting more experience with this and it was worth it to us.

TX law states that the student has to put in 20 hours of drive time on certain types of roadways with parents or an instructor. They had to log in 10 hours for night driving. You could not get out of the class and get a license without this.

The stressed defensive driving in this course. You can also take a specific defensive driving course and once you pass you get a discount on car insurance. We also got discounts on the insurance because of daughter's grades and because she went to the insurance office and watched a 10 minute boring video. Every % helps!!

I like the rules in TX because a teen cannot drive with more than 1 person in the car for a minimum of 6 months or risk being ticketed. Here in Plano, teens are targets for the police officers. Also, the driver license expires each year and has to be renewed in person at the DL office until the age of 18.

Our daughter inherited my 2007 Mercedes with low miles in perfect condition. She treasures that car and takes care of it. I laugh because she used to laughingly get mad at me because I would park so far away and walk so no one would ding my doors, etc. Now I see her car parked at school in the furtherest spot so it won't get dinged. I stress the importance of watching the other drivers.

Good luck. It is very stressful and probably the hardest thing I ever did to allow her to drive. I still get nervouss every time she is out.

I live in Castle Rock. With my oldest son, now 17, we did the classes through a drivers ed program in Highlands Ranch. I chose it b/c the instruction was given by firefighters and police and I liked the classes-he would come home and tell me about them and they seemed interesting and engaging for the students....however they went out of business (i lost money as I never got to use the driving portion) and it was a shame b/c with the driving portion they also offered defensive driving etc...so I had to use a company in Castle Rock which seems basic and similar to all the other programs out there-yes, my son even had to pick up some ones daughter from a sport practice after school...in the end I think it comes down to the parents. We make sure they get a lot of driving time with us and talk and educate them as well about driving...although I'm sure they tune us out half the time...so I don't think it matters what program in the Douglas county area you choose, i think what matters is what you as parents offer in addition to the program.

Well in Kansas, be it good or bad, teens can get a permit at age 14. We were against it at first until some friends of ours commented that would we want to turn our son loose after the really limited Driver's Ed time or have 2 years with them in a car.

So my husband took both kids (now 21 and 17) out every weekend to be HIS errand driver. For the first year he would tell them where they were going, how to get there where to turn etc, along with the driving instruction. The second year he just rattled of the places they needed to go and let them find their way. He also took them out day and night and in all driving conditions.

By the time both of them took Driver's Ed they already had a minimum of 6 months driving under their belt. I remember the company my son wanted to take the classes with let the kids drive Mustangs. I thought it was just a scam, but they were accredited by the state. My daughter took it with a different company. I don't remember the class time per se, but each company came to the house and picked up the kids several times for driving time. Both companies essentially gave the kids everything they needed to go get their permit or license.

I also believe, at least in the state of Kansas, you are not required to take a Driver's Ed course, but it gives a discount on insurance if you do.

My kids were able to do the classes online. I made it THEIR job to pick one. Since they all cost the same and covered the same material I didn't think it really mattered.
As far as the actual driving instructors I didn't do any research, per se, what I did was ask other parents with older kids who they used (I just sent an email to all the parents I thought might be able to help.)
Since over half of them used the same guy I ended up going with him. Of course I looked at his website and did a google search too.
He was great! He came here to our house, and he broke up the required six hours in three 2 hour visits, which I thought was better than two 3 hour visits which is what a lot of places do. Also he uses an unmarked car which I preferred, I thought it would make my kids more nervous to be driving around in a brightly colored car with the words STUDENT DRIVER all over it! But that's a personal choice :)
I think your best bet is to ask around, especially your son's friends with older siblings, they are a great resource.

Here is one source beyond actual classes. This can be available through company insurance AND will lower your car insurance.
http://www.safetyserve.com/ax/

i dont know how it works in your area but here 6 hours are required.. youd drive with the instructor for 2 hours 3days .. drivers ed classes were given in our highschool you would take that instead of health that marking period ... the only kids who went to classes were kids who would be of age before the school year or got a late marking period health class and wanted their permits asap
..as far as looking for a school my mom got lots aof reccommendations from friends with older kids.. also go for a school thats been around a while i wouldnt go to anyone relativley new