Rick's Driver Ed.
Overview
Traffic crashes are the #1 cause of death for teens 15 yrs. and older. Most teen fatal crashes occur due to distracted driving (cell phone / too many passengers), speeding, running stop signs, driving under the influence AND the lack of proper training!
Driver education training can start at age 15 yrs. and 5 months, 1 month prior to being eligible to get a permit.
It is not recommended a teen get their permit and then drive for an extended period of time before actually reviewing the material found on this website and taking an online course or in-person classroom training. The proper way to learn to drive is to FIRST establish a good foundation of knowledge. Once a habit is formed, it is extremely difficult to change. Whatever is learned early on, will stick.
Common bad habits are:
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Not coming to complete stops
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Driving too close to the centerline on main two-lane roads with oncoming traffic
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Driving too close to the centerline on divided highways (US30, US33, I-75, etc) with traffic passing next to them
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Not wearing a seatbelt or improper use of a seatbelt (having the shoulder strap under the arm)
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Never checking rearview mirrors
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Not keeping check of their speed. Many students who have been driving for a while and are confident in their driving, are the higher percent of students who exceed the speed limit.
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Following too close. Rule of thumb is the 4 Second Rule. When following another vehicle, pick a fixed point it will be passing and when the vehicle ahead passes that fixed point, start your count - 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004. You should not be to that fixed point sooner than the end of the 4 second count - and that's on good roads.
I have had many students put off their driver education to include the in-car training for an extended period of time due to:
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Not having a car available when they get their license
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Not being able to afford insurance
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The teen is reluctant due to being nervous
It is not recommended to delay driver training for these reasons. The sooner a teen can get started on their in-car training, the quicker they learn to become a good driver.
I have had some parents/legal guardians who have spent little to no time working with their child on the basics of driving and given the reason of, “That’s what I’m paying you for”. As an instructor, if I have to work with a student on their basic skills, I will not be able to train them to a higher level. On day two they will be driving on many city streets making many turns and days 3 & 4 will be road trips involving interstate driving, city driving in many different towns and curvy hilly rural roads.
Any teen under the age of 18 that takes a state driving test is required to have completed 24 hours of an online course or in-person classroom training AND have completed at least 50 hours of driving time, 10 hours of which are nighttime driving. When it comes time to take the state driving test at the BMV, the parent or legal guardian must provide to the BMV a "50 Hour Affidavit” (see Documents page) attesting their child has had at least 50 hours of driving time, 10 hours of which were night driving. This document must be notarized. I suggest having it notarized ahead of time at your local bank or by someone you know is a notary who will most likely notarize the document for free. If not, you will have to pay the BMV to have it notarized.
As a parent or legal guardian, if you're not able or willing to take the time to teach your child to drive, or feel the need for help, they are allowed to drive with an eligible adult. The requirement for an "eligible adult" is
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They must be at least 21 yrs. of age
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They must have a valid license
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They must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs
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They must be seated in the right front seat
If a parent is going to allow their child to drive with an eligible adult, AND the teen is under the age of 16, the parent must complete an "In Loco Parentis" affidavit (see Documents page) for each eligible adult they drive with.
It is not recommended for teens to wait until age 18 to avoid taking driver education.
Teens who do not take a driver education course
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Are at higher risk of being involved in crashes
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Lack knowledge of many traffic laws and driving techniques
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Generally, have an increased cost of insurance until age 25 due to no driver education training
I encourage you to review the Insurance document and compare it to your current auto policy and recommended reviewing the Buying a Vehicle document before purchasing a vehicle for your teen.