How would I start a driver's education school?

[OBS3SSION]

It's been discussed in past threads, but basically driver's ed in this country SUCKS!

In my idealistic vision, I see myself opening a driving school that actually teaches what should be taught in driver's ed. Stuff such as night driving, manual transmission, inclement weather driving, proper seating and mirror position, and a bunch of other stuff. None of which, by the way, was ever taught in my driver's ed school.

It would be best if somehow a school such as what I have in mind would afford students a better insurance discount or some other benefit for attending rather than going to the many other schools which basically take your money and have you watch videos and drive the instructors through the McDonald's drive-up. But I wouldn't even know where to begin. The state? The insurance companies?

Also, I can only imagine a very large sum of money would be needed up front. There'd be several cars to purchase, as well as a class location and other stuff. What would be ideal is to demonstrate to car manufacturers what a benefit of such a school would be to drivers and have them supply the cars as donations or lent to the school as promotional vehicles.

There's probably a ton of other stuff I'm not even thinking of right now. But is this just a pipe dream, or is this something I can pull off?

[Dave 330i]

nice try. the reason no one has started one is because no one cares. people just want to pass and get their license. learning to drive is actually a life long experience based on luck.

[BobC]

It's already being done to a point
Street Survival (http://www.bmwccafoundation.org/dss_index.asp)

I think it's a great idea but Dave's point is vailid. Teenagers just want to have a licence. I don't think they really care if they actually know how to drive.

[OBS3SSION]

That's why legislation needs to be made to provide as a benefit to people who take these "advanced" classes a discount on insurance or some other incentive.

And not just new drivers. Let's say to "graduate" from this class, you need to pass a test requiring a certain level of skill and knowledge. This gets you a discount on your insurance. Every 3 years or so, you can take a refresher test to keep that discount.

In MA, the discount on insurance you get from completing driver's ed is barely what you pay for for the class in the first place. And the discount is only on your first couple years.

[OBS3SSION]

Oh... and I think kids would want to go to the school I have in mind. I would teach using FWD sedans, RWD sports cars, AWD vehicles including SUVs. Teach them on the cars they want to drive, and they'll want to learn. Plus, as a benefit... these kids will know how to drive these different kinds of vehicles.

Most driving schools around here use old "fleet" style sedans. You know... the parent's cars. There's one school who uses Jeeps, Mustang convertibles, etc., and they draw more students because of the "cool cars".

[Dave 330i]

Oh... and I think kids would want to go to the school I have in mind. I would teach using FWD sedans, RWD sports cars, AWD vehicles including SUVs. Teach them on the cars they want to drive, and they'll want to learn. Plus, as a benefit... these kids will know how to drive these different kinds of vehicles.

Most driving schools around here use old "fleet" style sedans. You know... the parent's cars. There's one school who uses Jeeps, Mustang convertibles, etc., and they draw more students because of the "cool cars".
Most kids wouldn't want to go to them because they THINK they know how to drive anyway, including me. :eeps: :rofl: You will have a hard time convincing them there is a need, other than what you said, being cool driving a certain type of vehicle.

[The Roadstergal]

You should look at the MSF model, I think. Those things are crammed to the gills with both kids and adults. I think the insurance discounts and thorough pimping of them by DOLs are a significant factor.

[The Roadstergal]

If the licensing test were harder, your school would suddenly become more popular..

[OBS3SSION]

You should look at the MSF model, I think. Those things are crammed to the gills with both kids and adults. I think the insurance discounts and thorough pimping of them by DOLs are a significant factor.
MSF? DOL? Is it so obvious I'm missing it?

[The Roadstergal]

Department of Licensing, Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

[Tex]

Eric,

What you have in mind is great, and in fact, it is exactly what is done in European countries. In these countries, the legislation requires a thorough driving education prior to even be able to take the tests. For example, in France:
- Minimum 10h of driving code instruction and "blank" test
- Minimum of 20h of in-the-car education with an instructor. Every car for this has to be a manual (unless you want the down graded version of the license for auto only), and every car has to have a complete passenger side pedal set (all 3 pedals).
After the 20h, the instructor has the right to prevent you from taking the test if he deems you are not ready
- The test is 30 minutes long and includes highway, 2 lanes road, and downtown driving, plus an array of tests such as 3 point U-turn, regular U turn, parallel parking with 1 foot margin front and back, backing along a street corner and so on. When driving, every time the car slows down, the student has to downshift. And, the sriver needs, of course, to adopt the proper seat and mirror position, plus drive with the proper hand position.

Now, there is worse: in the UK, there is a series of tests. I believe the first one allows you to drive accompanied, the second one gives you a temporary student license for 1 year, after which you take the final test. And if you get a ticket before getting the final license, you pretty much restart from scratch!

The only problem I see right now is that it is just not going to happen in the US. I don't know for other states, but here, in Texas, no helmet law (there was one and they were stupid enough to cancel it), no cell phone law (hence my very regular "Hang up the phone A$$.... or BI>>>), a seat belt usage of slightly over 50% (that is really sick), no interdiction to pass on the right, and a tech. inspection which is, well, ...very approximative!. So, how could they pass such a law to force young drivers to learn? I mean, I love the idea, I would support it in a heartbeat, but I just don't see it happening. Maybe in states with a better legal system like in the northeast, but here down south, nope.

[Dave 330i]

The only problem I see right now is that it is just not going to happen in the US. I don't know for other states, but here, in Texas, no helmet law (there was one and they were stupid enough to cancel it), no cell phone law (hence my very regular "Hang up the phone A$$.... or BI>>>), a seat belt usage of slightly over 50% (that is really sick), no interdiction to pass on the right, and a tech. inspection which is, well, ...very approximative!. So, how could they pass such a law to force young drivers to learn? I mean, I love the idea, I would support it in a heartbeat, but I just don't see it happening. Maybe in states with a better legal system like in the northeast, but here down south, nope.

What kind of experience do you need to drive the roads in TX?

[doeboy]

FWIW - I passed my written exam with 100% correct answers and lost just one point on my driving exam because I didn't drive fast enough! That was funny....

They just had to ding you for something didn't they... :)

[doeboy]

Yup! :thumbup: I took my test at the DMV in ghetto-land, too, so the workers were extra-surly to me, being Asian and all that. You know, people like me aren't supposed to be good drivers. :rofl:

:rofl: :rofl:

Hey! I resemble that remark too... :eeps: :eek:

[Dave 330i]

Yup! :thumbup: I took my test at the DMV in ghetto-land, too, so the workers were extra-surly to me, being Asian and all that. You know, people like me aren't supposed to be good drivers. :rofl:
Are you FOB? If so, they are rigtht.

[doeboy]

My parents were into assimilating to our new adopted country and learning the language. Gee, what a concept! Wish more immigrants did that. They must have gone overboard though, since I be married to a whiteboy now. ;)

:rofl: :bustingup

But, Dave - I would have to admit that I do agree with the generalization. It's totally the language barrier. I don't get why the freakin' DMV allows the written test in 20 different languages. Um, hello, government! Aren't ALL street signs and traffic-related signs in ENGLISH!!!!!! How the hell is someone who only speaks and reads Somali able to understand signs that say "No Right Turn on Red between 4 - 7pm"? Stooopid government.

:rofl: Very good points. I wonder if they have a copy of the test in Braille too... :eeps: :eek:

[Dave 330i]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

No, I'm not FOB. My parents came to the US when I was 2 years old, so I actually learned English first, and then was taught Cambodian around 6 or 7 years old. My parents were into assimilating to our new adopted country and learning the language. Gee, what a concept! Wish more immigrants did that. They must have gone overboard though, since I be married to a whiteboy now. ;)

But, Dave - I would have to admit that I do agree with the generalization. It's totally the language barrier. I don't get why the freakin' DMV allows the written test in 20 different languages. Um, hello, government! Aren't ALL street signs and traffic-related signs in ENGLISH!!!!!! How the hell is someone who only speaks and reads Somali able to understand signs that say "No Right Turn on Red between 4 - 7pm"? Stooopid government.

Europeans, with different languages, avoided traffic signs in written language by using symbols. Wow, what a neat concept! Maybe we should do it here now that the USA is such a cosmopolitan.

The joke about FOB is not a language barrier, it's the skill in driving. They just haven't driven as long.

[Tex]

What kind of experience do you need to drive the roads in TX?

Hey Dave,

I would agree with you and even think it's funny if it weren't for:
- the guy driving a huge F****** pickup truck who ran a stop sign at 50mph and rammed my wife's Contour over last memorial day. He almost killed my mother in law and wife, totalled the only mean of transportation on that side of the family and did not even realize that all that was because he was more busy argueing with his GF over the cell phone than driving!
- My brother in law who got rear-ended in San Antonio because...guess what... the guy behind was talking in his cell phone and did not pay attention to his driving
- A colleague here who totalled his car when he hit a deer because he didn't know that deers were crossing roads regularly in thick forests...another thing he could have learnt in a good driver course.
- The local students (TAMU) who keep driving after drinking and kill themselves on the roads around aggieland.

Sure, the roads in TX are wide and straight, and that is what is dangerous: people tend to forget that the road can be dangerous in any curcumstance.

[Dave 330i]

Hey Dave,

I would agree with you and even think it's funny if it weren't for:
- the guy driving a huge F****** pickup truck who ran a stop sign at 50mph and rammed my wife's Contour over last memorial day. He almost killed my mother in law and wife, totalled the only mean of transportation on that side of the family and did not even realize that all that was because he was more busy argueing with his GF over the cell phone than driving!
- My brother in law who got rear-ended in San Antonio because...guess what... the guy behind was talking in his cell phone and did not pay attention to his driving
- A colleague here who totalled his car when he hit a deer because he didn't know that deers were crossing roads regularly in thick forests...another thing he could have learnt in a good driver course.
- The local students (TAMU) who keep driving after drinking and kill themselves on the roads around aggieland.

Sure, the roads in TX are wide and straight, and that is what is dangerous: people tend to forget that the road can be dangerous in any curcumstance.

I'm very sorry to hear your stories. Negligence is a horrible price to pay. I hope you figured out that my post was a bit of sarcasm.

[LarryN]

OBS3SSION, if you are serious about this, I had a friend in highschool (20+ yrs ago) whose dad owned/ran a driver's ed school, and that he inherited a while back. I see the kid every day on the train, and he still runs the programs for local highschools, as well as private lessons. I could probably link you two together somehow for you to ask questions that somebody of that nature could answer for you.

Funny, he's mentioned similar thoughts, and I'd be willing to bet that he knows it's a highly improbably scenario to get an insurance company to allow passage of a bill that would require them to accept less in premiums, because of a new program. (even though it's probably a great idea)

[Tex]

I hope you figured out that my post was a bit of sarcasm.

Sure did! I am just kinda mad at all the Texas drivers that drive with a hand holding their cell phone and the other scratching their 6.

[Dave 330i]

True - I have no problem with making licensing requirements tougher. In my opinion, EVERYONE - from 16 to 96 should be required to be tested every 5 years.

I'm sick and tired of seeing just teenagers and young people being targeted (oh wait, they can't vote yet, so sorry, your rights can be tossed aside) while old people can continue to lose their faculties and they don't have to deal with so as much as a test to make sure they can see! At least with a teenager, with age, they can become better drivers, but with an old person, all they can do is get worse as they age as they lose things like their sight, their hearing, their hand-eye-coordination and responsiveness.

And, before someone starts thinking I'm being an ageist, I have no problem with old people if they can pass the test. I just don't get why AARP gripes about additional testing for people over a certain age! If they think we're being age discriminatory, then fine! Make EVERYONE go in for the test every 4 years or 5 years or whatever, and inconvenience everyone! I don't mind being inconvenienced if it helps getting even one bad driver off the road....

In Germany, once you passed the necessary education and driving tests, you are never re-evaluated for compentency. The license is good for life. Perhaps the older people are overwhelmed by the speeds on the autobahn so they actually have enough sense to stop driving. Go figure.