Choosing A Driving Instructor

By Master Police Officer James Poer Recently while speaking with a group of parents of teen drivers, one concern was expressed that many parents in the audience shared. How does a parent find the best driving instructor for their child? Apparently many of these parents who had been through this process previously with older siblings had been disappointed with previous instructors. The biggest problem was that the teens were only getting a fraction of the behind the wheel time initially promised. I would start by asking other parents for references on driving instructors they have been pleased with using. Regardless of whether you receive a recommendation, you should interview the instructor prior to signing up for a class. Ask questions such as: What are your credentials? How long have you been instructing teens? How much time will be spent driving? What exercises will be covered while driving? By simply demonstrating concern about the quality of the driving instruction, you are making the instructor aware of your expectations. Assuming he provides satisfactory answers to the above questions, you can now hold him accountable for providing the experience you are seeking. But remember, no driving school will provide as many hours as your teen needs to develop the appropriate skills. Experts recommend at least 100 hours behind the wheel before a teen drives alone. It's up to you to make up the difference and the Safe Teen Driver Guide offered by this agency is a tool that will help you maximize the skills learned during that time.