Driving School
10 Driving School Benefits That May Surprise You who are behind the wheel
In the United States, driving behind the wheel has become very commonplace. Almost every adult has a driver’s license and most drive every day. With driving having become so commonplace, we sometimes forget that it is also a complex skill and one that comes with real risks.
For most complex skills in our lives we have received training. We take lessons to learn instruments and send kids to camps or hire trainers for sports. Yet, when it comes to driving, we can often take learning those skills for granted. However, getting training from certified training instructors is important and has a big positive impact on the driving skills of both teens and adults. It can save you thousands of dollars and could literally save your life.
1. Driving School Increases Your Safety:
According to a 2015 study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, driver education significantly reduces the number of accidents and traffic tickets in young drivers. In fact, teens who did not receive professional training were:
- 75% more likely to get a traffic ticket
- 24% more likely to be involved in an accident with injuries or death
- 16% more likely to get into an accident of some kind
Similarly, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) found,
“Research suggests that the more comprehensive GDL programs are associated with reductions of 26% to 41% in fatal crashes and reductions of 16% to 22% in overall crashes, among 16-year-old drivers.”
These studies show that receiving training by certified driving instructors better prepares you for driving and reduces your chances for tickets and accidents.
2. Driving School Teaches Driving Laws for Your State:
There are a lot of laws that govern driving. These laws change from time to time and are different from state to state. Certified driving instructors are up to date on all the current driving laws for their state.
3. Driving School Teaches Driving Etiquette:
There is more to driving than simply following the law. There are rules of driving etiquette which allow us to share the road with other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. A certified driving instructor can teach the nuances of driving etiquette in addition to the laws. In today’s society where road rage is a real possibility, it’s good to know what might anger other drivers and what can help us to all drive safely and peacefully.
4. Driving School Gives Valuable Driving Experience:
There are a lot of things you can learn about driving in books and videos, but getting behind the wheel and actually driving makes all the difference in the world. A driving school experience which includes several hours behind the wheel better helps to prepare drivers for the situations they will encounter on the road. Situations like losing traction in the rain or snow can cause drivers to panic and freeze up even when they “know” what to do. Experience helps drivers to stay calm and controlled in those moments.
5. Driving School Increases Confidence:
One of the most common driving school benefits that affect young drivers is a lack of confidence. This can cause them to panic in unexpected situations, causing accidents. Professional training from a certified instructor can help increase the confidence of new drivers as they learn what do to in a wide variety of situations and, through experience, learn to trust their training.
6. Driving School Reduces Recklessness:
The other common driving school benefits that affects young drivers is over-confidence. This leads to reckless driving. A professional driving instructor can teach young drivers about the risks of driving and the dangers of reckless driving.
What if I already have my license?
Many people associate driving school with teenagers getting their license for the first time. However, adults who already have a license can also enhance their driving skills greatly from professional driver education.
7. Driving School Can Identify and Correct Bad Habits:
As we become more experienced drivers we also become more familiar and more comfortable with driving. While generally a good thing, however, it can also lead to some bad habits. A certified driving instructor will monitor your behaviors while you are driving and talk to you about your driving habits and be able to identify and fix any bad habits you have developed
8. Driving School Can Help Improve Specific Driving Skills:
You have been driving behind the wheels for years and feel pretty comfortable behind the wheel in most situations, but there may be some situations that make you uncomfortable. Whether it’s parallel parking, merging, or something else, your instructor can help you master those specific skills
9. Driving School Can Teach New Driving Skills:
Changes in life and location can put us in new driving situations. Whether you’ve moved from a different climate, different country, or changed from a small vehicle to a large one, all these situations (and others) require you to learn new driving skills. Driving school is the perfect way to learn these new driving skills and maybe brush up on some others.
10. Driving School Can Save You Thousands of Dollars:
Lastly, one of the more common reasons people don’t register for a driving school is that they don’t want to spend the money. However, in the end, driving school can actually save you money…and lots of it.
Many car insurance companies offer discounts to young drivers who have completed a driver training course. Drivers who have completed courses from driving schools are less likely get traffic tickets. Most importantly, though, professional driving training will help you to become a safer and more experienced driver which reduces your chance of getting into an accident. This can save you thousands of dollars and even save your life.
The driving school benefits which help not only the person taking the course, but everyone else on the road. While it does take some time and cost a little money, in the end it is more than worth it. You will likely save money, reduce stress, and be safer for it.
Contact us for more information. Please also visit Virginia DMV.