So you have to choose a driving school for yourself or one of your family members and ask yourself: which driving school would be right for you? While most driving schools would do their job well, each school could, however, target your specific audience and support your specific set of services that might not work for you individually.
Below are the main checkpoints to consider when selecting the best driving school for you.
- Types of license that your driving school supports. Check if your school offers training for car drivers, motorcycle drivers, commercial truck drivers, etc. Be aware that school bus drivers often require special training.
- Target audiences. Check if your school offers special courses for beginners, teen drivers, seniors, and drivers with disabilities. Teen drivers generally require a special training approach that is different from senior training. If you are a disabled citizen, a car for your driving training may need special equipment, as well as instructors trained in training such students.
- Total years in your school’s business. While longer work history doesn’t necessarily translate to the best training services, years in business could be considered a valuable indicator that your driving school knows how to adapt to the turbulent market and can withstand competition well.
- State of the school in the DMV. Many states provide up-to-date information on local driving schools, their ratings, customer feedback, etc. In Canada, for example, you can get a list of unrecognized Canadian driving schools on the provincial DMV websites, so you can filter out obvious discrepancies right away.
- Pricing of school offers. Compare your school’s prices with the prices offered by other schools with similar driving training services. To avoid unexpected expenses, pay special attention to the fine print. Make sure you understand all hidden fees and charges. Ask for special offers. Many schools offer special discounted packages that you may find interesting.
- Languages of instruction supported by your school. We are a nation of immigrants. If you are not the native English speaker, receiving training in your first language could be crucial for you. Check what languages other than English are supported at that driving school.
- Male or Female Applicant Instructor. If your family has strong cultural ties to your home country, it may be important to request a male or female instructor for your children’s training. Make sure the driving school of your choice addresses your needs here.
- Formal training in classes. Does your school offer formal classroom training? If yes, how many hours of formal training are included in your rate? Note that while beneficial, classroom training is not required and can often be done online.
- Training behind the wheel. Check how many hours you will get in behind-the-wheel training with that school. This is a very important checkpoint. Too few hours may not be enough to pass the exam at the DMV. Too many hours can seem like a “money-oriented” school.
- Free pick-up and return services. Most driving schools provide free pickup and drop-off services for their students. However, these free services typically apply only to specific locations (usually expressed in miles from the driving school’s main office). If your pick-up / drop-off location is outside the supported area, you can still get pick-up / drop-off services, but with some conditions; for example, the time that an instructor drives from the school office to your location could be counted toward your driving lesson time. Be sure to verify this rule with your school of interest.
- Success rate. Most driving schools would proudly state that their student success rate is 99.99%. Take these statements with a little salt. To date, the DMV does not officially track success rate statistics; hence most of these optimistic statements are made solely in good faith. Get a second opinion: ask your friends, colleagues or associates about their school of interest. You can also consult online resources, forums, and web communities for a broader set of opinions.
- Free initial driving lesson with no obligations. Some schools offer free, no-obligation one-hour training lessons for new students. Ask if your school has this offer – try it for free and only then make your final decision.
- Discounts on auto insurance. Many driving schools offer discounts on auto insurance for their students. Check if your school is one of them.
- Car for driving test at DMV. By law, it is the candidate’s duty to provide a safe and operable automobile for testing at the DMV. To address this problem, some schools offer discounted or even free car rentals to their students for examination at the DMV. Request this option at your school if you cannot provide your own car for DMV testing.
- Fleet of vehicles. Ask what types of vehicles your driving school will use for your training. Old and worn out vehicles lower morale and will not help advance your driving skills in a timely manner. Also, newer vehicles are often safer. However, don’t be impressed by the new cars that some schools proudly advertise – new cars alone will not replace the instructor’s experience and professional skills. Therefore, use this checkpoint with caution.
conclusion
Go through the selection checklist provided above and you will get the best driving school you are looking for.
Keep in mind that many of the questions mentioned above can be answered without leaving your home.
For example, you can find all the driving schools in your location using online driving school directories.
Try online driver license tests if you prefer to skip the optional in-class training classes at the driving school office. Those tests are available on the web for free or for a very reasonable price if you are looking for more in-depth training.
Get a comprehensive US road sign reference with an explanation of each sign by visiting the online road sign web references.
And finally, learn about the DMV / DOL website for your state of residence and be sure to visit regularly for recent updates.
