Many people think that driving is one skill that everyone should have regardless of whether you own a car or not. Having the ability to drive means that you have more independence over your day-to-day activities and can travel conveniently, faster, and often more enjoyably than using public transport. However, before you can drive, you will need to know how to do it properly and will need to find a good driving school.
How exactly does one go about choosing the right driving school? The way you interact with cars will be largely determined by the driving school you choose. This is why it is important that you make sure you choose a good school that is able to make you a good, confident driver.
Here are a few tips and considerations to help you choose a driving school and to explain why you need a good driving school.
Tips For How To Choose A Driving School
1. Visit The Facility
Go to the facility and ask questions. Ask about what the program entails, details about on-road practice and conditions, the instructor’s credentials, how much liability the school carries, and the program’s accreditation status. Ask about their intensive driving courses including test fees as you can compare this to other institutions. You want to know all of these things to be able to ascertain how professional the institution is and to ensure that you will be well-trained – that you won’t just be wasting your time and money.
2. Choose A School That Explicitly Involves Parents And Other Adults Involved In Practice Driving
Learning to drive takes a long time. It can take hundreds, if not thousands, of hours to be able to master it. Any driving school should recognize this and should explicitly include a partnership between the school and the parents/adults. This is to create an environment where driving becomes a comfortable norm by providing high-quality training and then supervised practice to reinforce the training.
Two-way communication is important at this stage, especially in the school that takes this approach. In order for it to work well, the school should provide students and their families with information around areas that are in need of specific practice, while students and their families should tell the school about driving challenges and progress that has been made.
3. Look For A School That Doesn’t Rush The Learning Process
Although the in-class portion of the program is important so that you understand the theory and rules of the road, behind-the-wheel training is critical. No student is that same and as such not all drivers are the same. Some students will need extra practice in certain areas and this is normal. Make sure that the school will teach at your pace and that they won’t pressure you. Finishing quickly doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve finished well. Take your time to become comfortable and really master the activity.
4. Make Sure The Behind-The-Wheel Training Is Thorough
If a driving lesson is less than one hour, this is not enough. Lessons should be planned and laid out ahead of time. They should also be appropriate based on a driver’s experience. An instructor should choose routes that are appropriate for each student and gradually provide challenges in new driving environments.
5. Avoid Programs With Emergency Driving Manoeuvres Training For Now
While going through the process of elimination, eliminate schools that include training in skid control or other emergency driving maneuvers. These programs are not for inexperienced, young drivers and often entice dangerous driving. While these may benefit you when it comes to insurance they have been found to increase crashes, particularly among inexperienced teen drivers.
Considerations and Why You Need a Good Driving School
There is often more than one way to get to an answer, but often just getting to the answer is not enough. Likewise, there are a number of ways to arrive at getting your license. You can get help practicing with a friend or relative, book for the test, and get your license. But this often leaves gaps and creates poor habits. Going through a driving school has so many long-term benefits. Here are a few:
- Professional instructors – You will have access to someone who has a full understanding of the learning process required to make good drivers.
- Structured lessons – Due to a curriculum every aspect of driving is considered and you will learn more than just what is necessary to pass your test.
- You pass, they win – A good reputation is built on the perception of a high pass rate on the 1st attempt. For this reason, instructors work hard to make sure you pass the 1st time.
Learning how to drive properly can be quite a challenge at first. You can overcome your fears and be the driver you want to be when you enroll in a credible driving school. By following the tips stated above, you can find one that will teach you well and help you pass right away.