There are many reasons to take an adult driver’s ed course in Texas.
If you are just learning to drive, you want to be taught with people your age, and adult driver’s ed is made for people just like you.
You also may need to take the course to lower your insurance premiums or dismiss a traffic violation.
In any case, you need to make sure you are getting a high-quality, fast, and affordable option.
There are many unaccredited courses out there that are a complete waste of your time and your money.
So before you sign up for an adult driver’s ed course, you need to do a little research to make sure you’ve picked the best one.
Check Out The Top-Rated Adult Driver’s Ed Course Here!
Decide What Course You Need
There are three main types of adult driver’s ed in Texas.
The first is adult driver’s education which teaches people who do not know how to drive, how to drive. Adult driver’s education can also help refresh skills that have been lost.
The second is mature driver’s education which is specifically targeted to seniors. Many seniors have been driving all their lives but need to develop better skills to match the newer automotive technologies, changes in traffic laws, and adapt to their specific health needs. Mature driver’s education is tailored to help seniors adapt to the changing driving landscape.
Finally, there are defensive driving courses. Defensive driving courses are usually taken to dismiss traffic tickets or take points off a license.
Also, taking a defensive driving course can reduce your insurance premiums, so it’s a great idea for people who have high premiums like full coverage on a new car or with a poor driving record that is driving up their costs. Once you know what you need to learn, you can then begin shopping.
Learn Your Texas’ Adult driver’s Education Requirements
Every state has basic requirements for adult driver’s ed and Texas is no different. In Texas, the driver’s education requirement is 6 hours of training.
This training can be done in the classroom, behind the wheel with a certified instructor, or through an online course.
Once the 6 hours are completed, you are required to take a knowledge test and a driving test. Texas allows the knowledge test to be a part of driver’s education, so it can be taken with the course and waived at the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
For defensive driving courses to dismiss a ticket, Texas requires the following:
- drivers can only take a defensive driving course once every twelve months
- Course must be taken within one year of receiving the violation
- The defensive driving course must be six hours to have a ticket dismissed
- For a ticket to be dismissed, a plea of guilty must be entered into the courts
- Classes can be in classroom, online, or video courses
- Must have a current valid driver’s license or permit
- driver’s with a CDL cannot have their ticket dismissed with defensive driving courses
- Must have current valid insurance
- Any ticket cannot be for more than 25 MPH over the posted speed limit
- Submit the Uniform Certification of Completion to the DPS by the deadline
So before taking any adult driver’s ed course whether to learn how to drive or to dismiss a ticket, make sure you understand the legal requirements of driver’s education training.
Look For Accreditation
Once you know the state requirements, you also want to look for accreditation. You want to find a course that is approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration (TDLR), Texas Department of Public Safety (TPS), and/or the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
These credentials should be listed on the driver’s course website or brochure. If they are not, ask the driving school what their credentials are. If they are not accredited by a reputable organization, you need to look for a different school.
You can also look for approval from other national licensing and accreditation organizations like the Road Safety Educators’ Association, The Driving School of the Americas, and the American Safety Council to ensure that you are getting high-quality and fully qualified driving instructors.
Read Reviews of the Course
Once you’ve done your due diligence and found a couple of potential adult driver’s ed courses, you want to take the time to read some reviews.
Not two courses are designed the same, so you want to find something that will work for you.
The best way to do this is to see if former students are happy with the training. You can find reviews online everywhere from Angie’s List to Yelp.
You can also visit third-party consumer review websites such as Trustpilot and ShopperApproved. These reviews are partial and transparent. Students leave their reviews as soon as they finish the course so you can be sure that they are reacting based on their overall experience.
Just make sure that you can separate irate customers from those giving honest feedback. I-rate customers have a greater tendency to leave negative comments because of their unpleasant experiences. Not saying that their review is not valid, but pay close attention to the root of their complaints. And make sure to verify their issues with other reviews to see if there is a reason for their negative reaction.
If you are looking for more in-depth analysis, you should read about courses at Traffic School Critics. Traffic Schools Critics is an independent review website that provides reviews for courses all over the state of Texas, so you can make sure you pick a great one.
Consider the Cost and Your Time
Finally, the last thing you need to think about when picking a great adult driver’s ed course is the cost to both your pocketbook and your free time. Adult driver’s ed courses should cost at most $150, but generally, you can find great courses as low as $25. So shop around a little bit before committing to a program.
Also, since most of us are extremely busy, it’s hard to fit adult driver’s ed into our schedules. Luckily there are some great flexible options. One of the best is online adult driver’s ed.
Online adult driver’s ed offers flexible courses that you can take on your time. Plus you don’t have to worry about commuting to a driving school, which can be difficult if you don’t have a license.
Also, many of these programs are cross-platform, so you don’t even necessarily need a computer. Many courses can be taken on your smartphone or tablet. Online courses will save you both time and money, so it’s a great option to consider.
Decided Which One Fits Your Learning Style
When all things mentioned above are done, it all boils down to your learning style. Different individuals learn in their own way – there are visual learners and there are those who are more comfortable reading long texts.
Visual learners should opt for courses that offer a lot of interactive features and use different visual resources. The courses offered by MyImprov and Aceable are the most visually appealing and entertaining.
Those who enjoy reading should go for schools that offer straightforward courses, and those who provide textbooks as additional reference guides. They should check out the courses provided by DriverEd and DriverEdToGo.
Meanwhile, auditory learners are more productive if they are hearing what they are reading, so audio read-along features will work best for them. Most online driver’s ed has this feature but for some, you’ll have to purchase it as an add-on and pay extra bucks.
So if you are looking for the best adult driver’s ed course in Texas, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered no matter what you need.
First, you need to find a course that meets Texas state requirements and is fully accredited. Then you want something that has good reviews and is both cost-effective and flexible.
If you don’t know where to start, check out Traffic School Critics. We offer reviews and advice so that you can pick the perfect adult driver’s ed class.
So check out our website and you’ll be guaranteed to find a great option!