Getting the Most of Driver Education

When you sign up for one of our classes, you can be assured that you are getting the best instruction available for your teen.  However, like most things in life, what a student gets out of Driver Ed is directly related to what he or she puts into it.  With that in mind, we've put together a list of tips to help you get the most out of your experience with Allegany Driving:

1. Get involved. 
        -Sit in on the first day of class.  During the first day of class, you will not only meet your teen's instructor, but will become introduced to Allegany Driving School's curriculum and philosophy.  Even if you can't make the first class, the first 6 pages of your teen's course packet are for Parent Orientation and are great to look over together with your teen.
        -Ride along.  Parents are more than welcome and encouraged to attend any and all of the three In-Car portions of the program.  However, if you can only make one, we suggest coming along for the last session.  Not only will this give you the chance to see all that we've been working on during our training sessions, but it will allow you to see what kind of decisions your teen is making behind the wheel. 

Even if you can't ride along or attend class, be sure to talk with the instructor at the end of each session and see how your teen is progressing.  Communication between the parent and the instructor can be a real tool for advancing your teen's skills.
       
2. Train with your teen.
        -Let your teen drive!  Practice makes perfect.  6 hours behind the wheel with us is not enough.  To get the most of Driver Ed, students need to be practicing on their own between In-Car sessions.  This practice allows each session to build upon the last and allows the successive sessions to become more in-depth. 
        -Ask questions.  Good driving is not about gas, brake, and steer!  Good driving is about making good decisions.  That's what we try to teach in our sessions.  When you drive with your teen don't be satisfied with merely "staying between the lines," always be asking questions: "What do you see?  What are the risks?  What do we need to be ready for in this situation?" 
        -Vary your training routes.  New drivers need to be exposed, under supervision, to all the different situations they will face when they get out on their own.  Make sure your teen has plenty of exposure to more than just country roads by the time he or she is ready to apply for his/her license.  

Again, if you are new to driving with your teen, riding along during our In-Car sessions can be a big help to getting started.

3. You are in control. 
        -In Maryland, the age when a person can get a license on their own is 18.  Until that point, drivers need the permission of their parent/guardian.  This means that at any time until your teen driver turns 18 you are in control of their driving privileges and can revoke their license with the MVA. 
        -Know the rules.  New drivers have many restrictions placed on them so that they aren't overwhelmed on the road.