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By Leigh M.
In America, there are currently 13.2 million drivers who are between 15 and 20 years of age. If your teen is interested in getting behind the wheel and is approaching the right age, you may be starting to wonder how you can help them gain a proper driver’s education through homeschooling. An adequate driver’s education is necessary to pass a state driver’s test and get a license, and it’s also crucial in terms of safety. Since your teen’s safety is the most important thing in the world, you’ll appreciate these hard facts about driver’s education, so you can continue to utilize homeschooling in a way that prepares your teen for their future — both on and off the roadways.
Do research before you start
You may be tempted to rush into homeschooling that is centered on facts about driving and preparation for a driver’s test, but you should take your time. Before you begin, do your own homework by checking out state requirements. Every state has its own rules about age ranges for drivers, as well as requirements and types of instruction.
Visit the local DMV to gather information about state guidelines, or use online resources to get the same information. When you do research, you’ll have all the facts, and you’ll be able to create an educational plan that fits with state laws. If you do research at the DMV website, download a driver’s manual while you’re there. Doing so will make it easy for you to help your teen study for the permit test.
Contact your insurance company
Your teen will need a learner’s permit to move towards getting a license. Some insurance companies request policy changes for teenage drivers, once they do get learner’s permits. On the other hand, there are insurance companies that don’t request changes until teens have gotten their driver’s licenses. Also, some insurance companies offer promotions and discounts to teen drivers. Learning about insurance requirements and any promotions will be helpful. Your teen needs to know this stuff, too.
Start teaching your teen
Some teens start learning about cars in their home garages. They may start picking up knowledge from a parent long before they are close to the legal driving age. For example, a teen might learn how to remove grime from spark plugs from Mom or Dad and do other types of DIY car repairs or maintenance, such as changing oil or changing a tire. If your teen has a good base of knowledge, the process of homeschooling him or her may be easier, but you’ll still need to ensure that your teen learns all the facts. Basic knowledge of cars and car repair isn’t nearly enough.
Do home study and practical training
Some homeschooling parents prefer to teach children on their own because it fits their educational philosophies and also costs less. Other homeschooling parents do some teaching, but also hire driving instructors to help their kids. If you do it yourself, you’ll need to go through the permit test book from DMV with your teen, until he or she knows the drill and can pass a permit test. Once your teen has a permit, you’ll need to keep your own log of the amount of driving hours your teen has accrued, in various driving conditions. If you hire a driving instructor, that teacher will log in the hours.
As you can see, homeschooling and driver’s ed do go together. When parents do some careful research, create an educational plan that suits state requirements, and help their teens to get on-the-road driving experience, they’ll cover all the bases.