Why is your program more expensive?
What are the requirements for a teenager under 18 getting a driver's license in Washington?
What are the requirements for passing the course?
Do we need a birth certificate?
How does my teenager get their learner's permit?
What is the procedure for refunds?
What is the maximum time allowed to complete the program?
How does my son or daughter make up missed class sessions?
Do you assign very much homework?
Are the students tested in the class?
What should the students bring to class?
How long after the class begins do the students start the in-car lessons?
What times are available for the in car lessons?
How are the in-car lessons scheduled?
What if my teen has to change their schedule for the in-car lessons?
Where do the lessons begin and end?
What if we are going to be late for an in-car lesson?
Do you ever cancel the lessons because of bad weather?
Can a parent or friend ride along on the in-car lessons with my teenager?
Does your insurance cover my teenager on the lessons?
Are your vehicles dual controlled?
How do you get students started who have never driven before?
How do you teach students who are extremely nervous about driving?
Do you accept students with discipline or behavior problems?
What if my son or daughter needs more lessons?
When will we receive the certificate?
Can parents who home school their teens become certified to teach them driver education?
Why is your program more expensive?
To use an old expression, you get what you pay for. Essentially, our program is like the difference between being crammed into an uncomfortable little coach seat and flying on a private charter jet. Both modes of transportation will get you to your destination, but one is significantly more comfortable and pleasant than the other.
Our staff is paid significantly more than at other schools, our classes are smaller and our classroom facilities are more spacious, nicer, cleaner and more comfortable than any other school, public or private in Seattle. We have the nicest instruction cars in the world. .(The Mercedes Benz C230 Sports Sedan) We provide door to door pickup service on the driving lessons and complimentary beverages and snacks in the class. You will find the higher cost a good investment.
What are the requirements for a teenager under 18 getting a driver's license in Washington?
Here is the list of what they must have;
1....A "T.S.E." (traffic safety education) certificate issued by an authorized school such as us. All T.S.E. programs consist of a minimum of 30 hours classroom instruction, 4 hours behind the wheel instruction and 1 hour of in car observation time.
2....They must have their learner's permit for at least 6 months
3....Not have any traffic violations or convictions while holding the learner's permit
4....50 hours of driving experience (10 of which must be at night)
5....Pass the 25 question knowledge test at the Department of Licensing with a score of at least 80%
6....Pass the road test at the Department of Licensing with a score of at least 80%
7....Pay the license fee of $25.00 (license is valid for 5 years)
What are the requirements for passing the course?
1....Attend all 15 class sessions
2....Pass all tests with a minimum score of 76%
3....Take 6, one hour behind-the-wheel lessons in the car
4....Pass the final road test on the last lesson with a minimum score of 80%
5....Complete the entire program within 180 days
Do we need a birth certificate?
A birth certificate is not required to enroll in the class, but it is required to obtain the Learner's Permit at the Department of Licensing.
Students who are 15, 16 & 17 years of age.
How does my teenager get their learner's permit?
During the first class session
the students are issued a "Permit Wavier" which allows
them to go to any Department of Licensing office with a parent
or legal guardian and get the permit without taking the knowledge
test, the knowledge test must however be taken later before being
issued a driver's license.
Your son or daughter will be given detailed instructions on what
to take to the Department of Licensing.
$695. for the state required 6 hours behind the wheel course. We also offer an optional 8 lesson program for $895.
The tuition of $695. can either be paid in full or paid partially. An initial payment of $300. is required upon registration. The balance is due prior to, or by the 15th class session. We accept checks and credit cards.
What is the procedure for refunds?
Please do not register for our program unless you have a commitment to complete it!
Full refunds will be given if the student withdraws prior to 10 days of the program start date.
A $300. fee is charged for withdrawals made within 10 days of the program start date. This fee also applies to students who change to a future class date.
There are no refunds once the class starts.
Expulsions:
If a student is expelled for behavioral problems there are no refunds in part or in full
What is the maximum time allowed to complete the program?
The Washington State Department of Licensing requires that all Traffic Safety Education programs be completed within a period of 6 months, there are no exceptions to this law.
How does my son or daughter make up missed class sessions?
Very easily, they come to the same class session they missed. For example, if session #5 is missed, the student comes to a future session #5. Because we conduct multiple classes with staggered starting dates, we can pre arrange a program to fit your teenager's schedule. When necessary, we can create a custom class schedule for your teenager. In the last class session students receive a sheet indicating the classes they need to make up. Go to: www.drive-ed.com/classes.html to see a list of the class session dates and times.
Do you assign very much homework?
We assign no homework, all the work is done in class, however, we do absolutely require that the students practice driving.
Your teenager needs experience behind the wheel more than anything else.
Are the students tested in the class?
Yes, a test of approx. 25 questions is given during each class session. The tests must be passed with a score of 76% (6 incorrect answers allowed) If a test is failed it must be made up. All the test questions are directly relevant to actual driving situations. All the material on the tests is covered by the instructor on the same day the test is given. The tests are clearly written and contain no "trick questions."
What should the students bring to class?
Paper and something to write with.
How long after the class begins do the students start the in-car lessons?
Typically the driving lessons start the 2nd or 3rd week of class.
What times are available for the in car lessons?
FALL / WINTER / SPRING DRIVING LESSON HOURS:
TUESDAY:
2:30PM to 6:30PM
WEDNESDAY:
2:30PM to 6:30PM
THURSDAY:
2:30PM to 6:30PM
SATURDAY:
11AM to 5PM
SUNDAY:
10AM to 3PM
SUMMER DRIVING LESSON HOURS:
MONDAY: Thru THURSDAY:
10:30 AM to 4:30 PM
SATURDAY:
10 AM to 4 PM
How are the in-car lessons scheduled?
When you enroll in our program,
you will fill-out an availability form which tells us when your
student is
available for the lessons, (days of week and times of day) we
then do our best to schedule around your needs
What if my teen has to change their schedule for the in-car lessons?
Tell us about any changes which need to be made and we will reschedule the lesson. We require notification at least 72 hours in advance. The more in advance this is done, the better the chances are that we can give you the dates and times you want. There is a $50 charge for cancellations made within 72 hours. No-shows are charged $80. for make-up lessons.
Where do the lessons begin and end?
We pick and drop off the students at home or other locations withing our operating area (call for details)
The students drive for one hour then are driven home by the next student. The total time for each in-car session is typically about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
What if we are going to be late for an in-car lesson?
Call the office and let us know, time permitting, the instructor will wait for your teen to arrive.
Do you ever cancel the lessons because of bad weather?
Very seldom, the only weather condition which causes lesson cancellation is snow or ice. Rain, wind, fog or darkness are not a cause of cancellation. Driving in less than ideal conditions is a part of the learning process, therefore we expect students to keep their appointments even when the weather is bad.
Can a parent or friend ride along on the in-car lessons with my teenager?
No. We have found that non-student passengers in the back seat gets in the way of the learning process.
Does your insurance cover my teenager on the lessons?
Yes, when students are driving our vehicles they are covered by our insurance.
Are your vehicles dual controlled?
Yes, all driving schools in Washington are legally required to have a brake on the instructor's side, we go this one better, we also have an accelerator pedal on the instructor's side for an added measure of safety.
A steering wheel on the instructor side is not necessary, the instructor can easily drive the car from the right side.
Perfect, after conducting over 35,000 lessons our instructors have never been involved in a single collision.
How do you get students started who have never driven before?
When a teenager has no previous driving experience, the instructor will drive the student to a nearby neighborhood where they can get the feel of controlling the car in an area with very light traffic. The lesson then progresses to streets with more traffic activity.
I had a bad experience trying to teach my teenager to drive, will it be better with you teaching him/her?
Yes. we have three big advantages: 1...Controls on the right side of the car. ...2...The experience to fix driving errors before they result in collisions and 3...A lack of emotional involvement. These three factors allow us to teach our students calmly and effectively.
I only want my teen to drive on side streets and in parking lots because I don't belive he/she is ready to drive in traffic, will you accomodate my wishes?
You must be willing to respect our judgement and experience. In order to graduate from our program, all students are required to complete the entire on-streeet curriculum and demonstrate a level of skill which proves they can operate safely in all traffic situations. Any other Traffic Safety Education program will also require this.
How do you teach students who are extremely nervous about driving?
We have a decade of experience helping nervous students learn to drive. Our instruction is completely nonjudgmental and very patient. We assure the student that they will not be involved in collisions in our car and we also assure them that the instructor will not become angry when mistakes are made.
Do you accept students with discipline or behavior problems?
NO! ..We can sometimes help teenagers with learning disorders, but students who create problems are instantly expelled. (see our student conduct policy on the enrollment page)
What if my son or daughter needs more lessons?
Additional lessons can be purchased for $100. per session.
When will we receive the certificate?
The certificate will be mailed to you about 1 week after the completion of the course.
Can parents who home school their teens become certified to teach them driver education?
No. All Traffic Safety Education programs in Washington must be taught by either a fully certified teacher or a licensed driving instructor working at an accredited driving school.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? Call us at: 206-297-1201