As a parent with a teen ready to drive, you want to know they will be responsible behind the wheel. A teen driving school can give your teen the tools they need to learn the state driving laws and develop defensive driving skills. GoSwerve’s program prepares teens to be responsible drivers by utilizing both classroom instruction and driving practice. Here are several things that can help new drivers build a foundation for responsible driving:
Learn the Rules of the Road
Help your teen driver familiarize themselves with the rules of the road where you live. The written knowledge test each student must take to get their permit will ask questions concerning state laws and common driving situations. Our program teaches students what they need to know about driving in Washington. The first classes will discuss the state laws for driving in Washington, which will help prepare your teen for their driver’s permit. Our instructors are trained to teach teens and understand how they learn best, and we offer Zoom lessons or in-person classes to help accommodate your teen’s schedule.
Develop Safe Driving Skills
You can develop safe driving skills by studying alongside a qualified instructor. Our driving course for teens includes 30 hours of classroom training to help prepare them to be responsible drivers behind the wheel. The program is designed to engage students and help them remember what they learned. Our instructors are friendly and exceed the state requirements for training.
Our program also includes four hours of driving simulation online. During this time, your teen will have a safe environment to practice dealing with road hazards, road construction, and other situations they may encounter someday. This portion of the program is scheduled on your own time and is a valuable resource for responsible driving.
Practice Driving
When you spend time practicing your driving skills with an experienced driver, you can help build a solid foundation for the future. Having someone in the car to remind you of safe driving behaviors can help refine your skills.
The program for our teen driving school provides time behind the wheel. One hour of observation time is included when you sign up for the class. During this time, the student will watch another student driving with an instructor. This process helps them be prepared for when it’s their turn. They can observe more than one hour if they choose at no extra cost.
Your teen will also sign up for five one-hour driving sessions. They will be behind the wheel with an instructor and practice driving in various situations. They will learn to parallel park, merge into traffic, and make left-hand turns in intersections, among other skills. These five hours aren’t enough to prepare the student for the driving test. We recommend spending at least three hours in the car between sessions, allowing your teen to practice driving.
Communicate With Your Teen
GoSwerve believes parents can have a powerful influence on helping their teens become responsible drivers. We encourage parents to attend the first lesson in our teen driving school program. You will learn what to expect and how the program works, which can help you support your new teen driver.
To complete our program, your teen must attend all classes and be on time. Any missed classes must be made up. You can communicate these expectations with your teenager so that they know what is required to complete the program. We also recommend keeping your teen at the same level in your driving practice as where they are in the program. If they haven’t learned how to drive on the highway in class, try to keep them on quieter roads in your practice. We want to help them develop solid skills before adding more complicated driving practice.
Get an Intermediate Driver’s License
Your teen will be issued an intermediate driver’s license when they pass the knowledge and driving tests in Washington. This license contributes to the foundation for safe and responsible driving because it provides restrictions until they are older. The teen driver can’t have a passenger under the age of 20 for the first six months.
For the next six months, the teen driver is limited to having no more than three passengers under the age of 20. For that entire first year, they can’t drive between 1 and 5 AM unless they are with a passenger who is at least 25 years old. They can’t use hands-free devices while driving as long as they have an intermediate driver’s license. Your teen can get a full driver’s license when they turn 18.
Choose GoSwerve Teen Driving School
If you’re ready to help your teen get their driver’s license, GoSwerve provides a comprehensive driving course. Our program helps teens develop the skills they need to make good decisions and be safe behind the wheel. Find a location close to your home and sign up for our teen driving training.