When you were growing up, things were so much different, weren’t they? No cellphones, no Snapchat, no online driver’s ed. That’s right—it’s possible to take driver’s ed online today in some states, and the trend is growing in popularity around the US. When you were in high school, driver’s ed likely meant herding into a classroom with a disgruntled, older teacher, listening to boring lectures, watching poorly-made videos, and struggling to stay awake.
But now driver’s ed can be as simple as enrolling your teen in an online course.
Not everyone has warmed up to the idea of driver’s ed classes online instead of in-person, and it’s understandable. A classroom provides discipline for the students and helps them to focus on the important work at hand. It’s the normal way that we think of people learning new information. Besides, it what you did, so you should do the same for your kids, too—right? Not necessarily. Here are a few reasons why parents today are happily signing their teens up for online driver’s ed classes.
They Want Their Kids Out Of A Classroom
Teens spend a lot of time in classrooms already, so why should you subject them to even more time sitting at an uncomfortable desk and listening to a teacher that bores them? Students already spend 900-1000 hours every year in a classroom, and a traditional driver’s ed class simply adds to this.
The truth is, not everyone learns best in a classroom setting. For some, it might be the best choice, especially for teens who are easily distracted at home or who prefer instruction from a person in front of them. But goal-oriented, busy, and/or independent teens will definitely benefit from instruction outside of a classroom and in a more comfortable setting.
An online class can be taken pretty much anywhere—at home, at a coffee shop, at the library, or anywhere else there’s a wifi connection. It’s a refreshing change of scenery for high schoolers who have only ever had the chance to take classes in a classroom! That alone makes it more interesting and gets them a little more excited to take the course and do well.
In-person Driver Training Is Suspended Due to the Coronavirus
Another reason might be that you don’t want your teens to attend in-person classes because of their safety. The 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 means that drivers all over America get less time to practice and train than in previous years. Lockdowns in some states even banned unnecessary outdoor activities, halting driver’s ed classes and behind-the-wheel instruction completely.
Some states like Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, and Wisconsin, even removed their practical driving test requirement, which means new drivers can get their license without proving their confidence and competence behind the wheel.
Thankfully, there is a rising number of states that are considering the approval of online driver’s education as a valid and reliable alternative. State-approved teen online driver’s ed will cover everything that an in-person course in a traditional driving school would. In fact, almost 70% of Americans today say that they prefer online driver’s ed instead of in-person instruction.
Their Teens Are Busy
Sure, high school might be done by 3:15 pm each day, but what about everything else kids have to do outside of that? From academic clubs, sports practice and competitions, band or strings rehearsal, and of course homework, teenagers have quite a lot to handle. The last thing they need is yet another commitment that they have to try and work their schedule around.
Online driver’s ed allows students to take the lessons and quizzes when it’s convenient for them. Maybe they have ten minutes before dinner is ready, perhaps they’ve got a half-hour before they want to wind down for bed, or maybe they’re sick in bed and have nothing better to do. Whatever the case, an online course allows teenagers to fit the instruction into their lives and not the other way around.
They’d Rather Do Behind-The-Wheel Instruction Themselves
The thought of your child driving around in a car with another adult makes some people a little nervous. More than likely you’ve got nothing to worry about, but most people don’t become driver’s ed teachers because it’s their lifelong dream. A lot of driver’s ed instructors are teachers of other subjects at a school and are simply roped into doing driver’s ed by the school district or the principal.
This is not to say that all driver’s ed teachers hate their jobs or dislike driving around with new drivers, but it can be hard for teachers to maintain their enthusiasm from day to day when it comes to a dry subject such as driver’s ed. This can mean sub-par instruction behind the wheel.
An online driver’s ed course still requires behind-the-wheel instruction but it’s up to the teen to arrange that and work with a parent, guardian, or another adult. For parents who want to make sure their kids are getting the correct instruction from the start, an online course gives them the opportunity to help put the rules of the road into practice.
Besides, most instructor-taught online driver’s ed courses are suspended during the pandemic. Some schools, such as Aceable, still offer instructor-taught online driver’s ed courses apart from parent-taught courses in Texas. But for most parents, the only way your teens could practice during the pandemic is if they get behind the wheel under your supervision. You may not realize it, but your experience and feedback are an invaluable gift for your kids. Not only will they be confident and comfortable behind the wheel, but they’ll also appreciate the added freedom you give them!
They Can Have A Satisfaction Guarantee
Any good online driver’s ed class will offer a money-back guarantee. If your teen dislikes the instruction, you can get your money back, 100%. A traditional driver’s ed course can be terrible, but teens are stuck with it whether they like it or not. This can then lead to them not paying attention and maybe not even passing, subjecting them to taking it again.
Not everyone learns in the same way, and there are oodles of online driver’s ed classes out there. Some use comedy and humor, some have lots of images, others are straightforward and text only. If you’re looking for a driver’s ed option that your teen will actually like, it’s out there, and money-back guarantees ensure that you can shop around and find it.
It Means They Trust Their Children
Although you might feel like your teens only hear about half of what you say, they do pay attention—especially when it comes to your actions. When you give them the option to take the course online, they’ll be excited because it’s more convenient but also because that means you believe in them and trust they can get the work done on their own, without a teacher nagging them at the front of a classroom. When that trust is given, teens will own up to that responsibility more than if they feel forced into a course they don’t even want to take.
Parting Words
Deciding whether your teen will learn more through an instructor-taught or parent-taught driver’s ed course will all boil down to communication. Apart from considering budget and convenience, consider the relationship between parent and child and try to gauge if you will be able to communicate comfortably and effectively. Discuss the options with your teen. In the end, the important thing is your support!