Parent Taught | Safeway Driving School

Stop and Consider

Will It Save You Money: You can order the DPS Registration Packet for $20.00. You will need some type of self-help to even attempt to complete the driver education program with your teen. A self-help parent taught curriculum program will cost $150 to $200. How many projects have you attempted with the idea of saving money instead of using a professional and ended up losing time and money? Other considerations: Is your car equipped with a passenger brake to reduce the risk of collision? Can you receive 15% insurance discount with parent taught?
Will It Save You Time: You child has many other activities such as tennis lessons, ballet, golf, math tutoring - all conducted by a trained instructor. Why not driver education? Sixteen 2-hour lessons for class and seven 2-hour lessons for driving; not much time for the proper professional training for a lifetime of driving a vehicle - which is a deadly activity! Are you able to schedule all the other activities - why not driver education?
Will It Be More Convenient at Home: Getting the permit is just the beginning of the course. (6 Hours) You must complete the remaining 26 class hours. Even if you order a DVD, the student should be monitored. You are the trainer and should know what the child is taught. Do you as a parent have the discipline, patience, knowledge, defensive driving skills, visual aids, and communication ability with your teen to really do the job of instructing and completing 32 classroom hours and 14 hours in the car with your teen?
Are You Knowledgeable Enough To Teach Your Child To Drive: Parents, can you answer these questions: What is the proper safe following distance in seconds? ( not 2 seconds) When can you legally turn left on a red light? Do you use brake or accelerator if vehicle goes into a skid? What does a solid white line mean? What is the legal limit for DWI in Texas? Do you have access to alcohol goggles, which allow the teen to experience .08 BAC in reality while driving? Parents can most likely teach their teenager to move the vehicle from site to site. Most likely, you may not have the expertise to teach your teen how to "drive the vehicle." We use a space management system to train the teens - do you have a system or just years of driving?

Teen crashes have increased 34% in Texas since 1996 primarily due to rear end collisions and failure to yield right of way. (The Parent Taught Driver Education began in 1996) The most recent DPS statistics reveal that Texas is #1 in total teen deaths nation wide, and Texas is also #1 in teen deaths due to drinking and driving nation wide.

One Final Thought

Put the odds in your child’s favor of never being one of the above statistics. Make the extra effort for your child! Since 1973, for 36 years, we have taught thousands of teens to drive. We also include the state approved Drug and Alcohol Awareness Course in our driver education program. You have a choice: The parent taught driver education course is available for you, but consider all the facts first. If you choose “Parent Taught” make sure it is not “Student Taught”. Consider all the facts for your child’s safety.