What’s the Best Driving School Near Me?
Your teen is ready to start driving lessons, and you have probably had mixed feelings about this milestone. Driving may be a necessity for the majority of people in the US, yet that doesn’t make it safe. According to the CDC, over 235,000 teens between the ages of 16-19 were treated for injuries due to motor vehicle crashes in 2015. This drives home the point that as a parent, you need to make your teen into a safe driver from the very start.
By choosing the best driving instructor near me, you will be able to help your teenager protect him or herself against aggressive drivers, learn how to navigate in poor weather conditions, and avoid risky driving behaviors, amongst other important driving skills. Remember, proper driving training can make the difference between a so-so driver and a safe, exceptional driver!
Your first step is to figure out which are the best driving schools near me. Our team at Safe Driving School has prepared the following outline of criteria to help you pick the best place to train your teen how to stay safe behind the wheel.
Outstanding & Available Instructors
Check out the staff – the best driving instructor near me will be properly qualified with a solid background in highway safety. Another tip to keep in mind – make sure that scheduling appointments with your teen’s driving instructor are simple and efficient. Many driving schools offer online scheduling, which is much easier than waiting on hold with a calendar in hand. The driving instructor should have many available slots because you don’t want to wait weeks every time you need to book the next appointment. Also, ask about the instructor’s pickup and drop-off points to check that they are convenient for your teen.
Up-to-Date Training Materials
The driving school training materials should be contemporary and high-tech, and not consist of papers and video clips from 20 years ago. For example, in our Las Vegas driving school, we feature a Virtual Driving Simulator, which is the ultimate way to teach safe driving before pulling onto the pavement. All of the education resources should also conform to the rules in your state of residence, as many of the laws and regulations vary from state to state.
Progress Reports
Some driving schools offer a system for reporting on your teen’s progress. At the end of each lesson, they will update a card with information about how your teen is doing and which driving skills must still be taught or improved. This way you are kept in the loop.
A Fleet of Modern Cars
The quality of a driving school’s cars can tell you loads about their general quality of education and management. Make sure that the cars aren’t falling apart, and that they are official driver’s ed cars – with a second brake for the instructor to use when situations get dangerous!
The best driving school near me should have decent late-model cars with updated safety features that closely simulate the vehicle that your teen will be driving. For example, the car used for instruction should have newer features such as anti-lock brakes, lane departure warning systems, hands-free infotainment system, traction control or stability control, and tire pressure monitors. Nowadays, it’s important that your teen is trained on how to use all of these modern features.
Comprehensive Training Program
You want your teen’s driving instruction to involve much more than a few road tests. The best driving lessons near me follow a curriculum that teaches technique and methodology, along with plenty of hours spent in preparation for the real road.
There should be a good mix of classroom education – ideally 20 -30 hours of classroom time or more – as well as on-street training. The classroom time can be done online or in a physical classroom; check out the available options and choose the method that works best for your teen.
During the classroom or online lessons, instruction should cover a complete range of topics, from one-way traffic to using blinkers to parking laws and challenging weather conditions. The on-street education should take a minimum of 6 – 10 hours of training time.
In general, all of the driving instruction will be spread out over a few weeks, and you should be slightly suspect of any driving schools that attempt to stuff all the training into a much shorter window of time. No teen should ever take an abbreviated “weekend teen driver course.”
See What Others Have to Say
One of the best ways to choose the best driving lessons and best driving instructor near me is to read what other parents and teens have to say! Check out the online reviews for recommendations.
What is Their Pass Rate?
Now to the bottom line – check out the pass rate of the driving school. If only 40% of the students pass and get their license on their first try, it’s a glaring red light. The last thing you want to do is spend more money and time on driving lessons all over again. Look for a driving school that boasts a pass rate of 90% or more students that pass on their first test!
For more information about our fully certified, professional Safe Driving School, contact us in our Las Vegas office. We teach customized driving lessons near me for teens and drivers of all ages!