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Finding the right program
Finding the right
program and the right instructor with the right fit for you, can be
difficult. It's not uncommon for people to go thru several driving
schools and/or instructors before they get their licenses.
Some things you
should do are:
Get a referral.
Referrals are the best way to find a good instructor.
Local Yellow pages.
Compare prices –
Big and expensive is not always better. You are just as likely to find
a good instructor at a small school and at a fraction of the cost of a
larger school. When comparing prices consider the cost of each lesson,
the duration of each lesson, the cost of the road test, the five hour
class, the road test appointment, is there free pickup and how far you
have to travel to meet your instructor (if applicable). (Some schools
do 45min lessons whereas some schools do 1 hour. Over the course of
several lessons you may be actually getting more for your money by
doing the 1 hour lessons. Do the math.)
The most important
part of finding a good instructor is are they knowledgeable and
can they effectively communicate that knowledge to you. Also the
quality and frequency of your lessons, are very important factors.
Your instructor should be able to give you lessons at least once to
twice a week (if needed). Also the majority of your lesson time should
be spent practicing and learning new techniques.
Do one lesson to
see if you like the instructor and the school before you commit to an
expensive package.
The most
important thing to look for on the first lesson is do you feel
comfortable with the instructor. Can you work well with the
instructor? It is also important for you as the student to communicate
what your expectations are. Ie. How many lessons you plan on taking,
what you want to learn and how soon you expect to learn it. Clear
communication of your expectations is the best way to put you and the
instructor on the same path. And it is the most effective way to get
the most out of your learning experience.
On successive
lessons you should progressively be learning more and more
things. Over time you should be getting better but don't expect that
this should happen with every lessons. Some lessons will be better
than others. Sometimes it may even seem as if you are getting worse.
Don't get discouraged. Judge your progress over a set of lessons as
opposed to just one or two.
Every instructor
has a different way of teaching. One style is not necessarily better
than the other. But avoid training with multiple people. It can be
confusing.
Every student is
different. Your learning experience may be completely different from
someone else's. But that does not necessarily mean one way is right or
wrong. Also everybody learns at a different pace. Your learning curve
may different from somebody else's. Try not to compare your progress
to someone else's.
When learning it
is important to ask questions. If you don't understand something ask
for a better explanation. There's a difference in following outlined
steps and actually understanding why they work.
If you feel as if
you are not learning certain things then bring that concern up to your
instructor.
If what somebody
else is telling you seems completely opposite to what your instructor
is telling you then talk to your instructor to clarify the
discrepancy.
Learning to drive with driver’s ed
A drivers ed
program is very different from a regular driving school. The
advantages are that you can drive at 17 whereas the normal age would
be 18. Drivers ed classes are usually affiliated with a local high
school. Call your local school district office. The disadvantages are
that the actual time spent driving may be very limited. For example
you may only get to drive a total of 8 sessions for as little as 15
minutes a session. For the cost of such a course you can get 5 times
as much driving experience if you went to a regular driving
school. If you need to get your license by the age of 17 then I would
suggest doing a drivers ed program supplemented by lessons from
a regular driving school.
What you should learn.
The basic
essentials – parallel parking, 3pt turn, left and right turns, vehicle
control
How to take your lessons
Take lessons at
least once or twice a week every week until your driving test.
Long gaps in
between lessons leads to slower progress.
Try to understand
why and how certain things work as opposed to just memorizing a set of
steps.
Never base how
you think your learning experience should be based on someone else’s
learning experience. They’re experience might not be typical.
Try to stick with
just one instructor.
Be careful about
getting driving tips from family and friends. Sometimes you can get
good tips but most of the time, the information that you are receiving
is often either completely false or only half true.
The five hour class
You
are required by the DMV to take a five hour pre licensing course
before you schedule your road test. You can take one of these classes
at any local driving school. Upon completion of the class you will be
issued a certificate. The instructions for scheduling a road test and
what you need to bring to the road test are on the back of the
certificate.
The expiration
date of your certificate is one year from the date of issuance. (You
can find that at the bottom of your certificate) Also sign the
certificate with the same signature that is on your learners permit.
On the day of
your road test you must bring your picture permit and the
pre-licensing course certificate. If you do not have both you will not
be allowed to take your test
The five hour class is a sit down class that can last anywhere from
four to five hours and is given by a licensed driving school.
Course topics can include seatbelt safety, drinking and driving and
rules of the road.
Scheduling your road test
Have your
pre-licensing course certificate number ready (it’s red and starts
with a letter followed by 6 digits and it's at the top of the
certificate) and your client id number (9 digit number on learner’s
permit). You will be prompted to enter these numbers when calling
either the automated road test scheduling system (518 486-6639) or
accessing the
NYSDMV road test scheduling system . You may also need your date
of birth and a credit card(if you owe any fees). There is no fee for
scheduling a road test but if you have already taken two road test,
you will have to pay the DMV a scheduling fee of $10 for every two
successive road test.
Pay your
road test fees
Available road
test times and days are 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday thru Friday
excluding holidays. The typical wait time for a road test date is 4 to
6 weeks, depending on the location and time of year. Earlier dates can
sometimes be scheduled for certain areas.
Would you like to schedule an early
date?
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