New drivers need time to learn how to operate a motor vehicle. The first time you get behind the wheel can be daunting! Every state has specific laws regarding licensing, and Arizona is no different. In this state, new drivers have a number of options when it comes to driver education. Teen driving school taught by parents is one of the most popular options.

What is Parent Taught Driver’s Ed?

Parent taught driver’s ed is an option for students who do not want to take a traditional driver’s ed class. According to Arizona law, new drivers can apply for an instruction permit when they are 15 years and 7 months old. This Class G permit can be obtained through a written test, and during the permit phase, a current driver must be in the front seat giving direction.

In the past, all states required that driver’s ed classes to be taught by state-approved, trained teen driving school instructor. While most teens are still given driver’s education options in a classroom setting, parents in Arizona now also have the option to teach their teens at home.

What is Home Study Driver’s Ed?

Home study driver’s ed courses are parent-taught. By state law, if your teen does not take an approved driver’s education class, his or her parent must sign a release confirming that the new driver has practiced for at least 25 hours, including 5 hours of nighttime driving.

Luckily, parents are not alone. There are many product that help parents teach their sons and daughters to drive. These home study driver’s ed courses include written material for students as well as instruction guides for parents. Some even include videos, and the best home study driver’s ed programs include audio that you can play in the car during lessons.

Online Driver’s Ed

Online driver’s ed classes are also an option. With an online driver’s ed course, you’ll get the same material that you would with a home study driver’s ed course that you purchase in print form. These types of courses should be completely thorough with driving information. Keep in mind, though, that new teen drivers in Arizona are still required to spend 25 hours on the road with their parents learning practical hands-on skills, so Arizona Internet driver ed is not the only thing a new driver has to do in terms of education.

Teen Driving

Driver’s education is important for a number of reasons. New drivers need tie to learn the skills needed to navigate Arizona’s roads safely. Unfortunately, this is not always the end result. Teens that do not have adequate training often get into accidents, sometimes causing injuries or even death. Did you know that 1 in 100 teen drivers in the United States will die due to an automobile accident.

Remember, even if your teen is a safe driver, you still have to teach him or her to react to other drivers who may not be so responsible. Teens often drive in groups, with two or three carloads of kids going to the same place and following one another. This increases the pressure to speed and otherwise drive unsafely. In addition, many teens are driving at times that are dangerous to be on the road, such as after 9:00 PM and on weekends in the very early morning hours. Top that off with the fact that teens and young adults are more likely to drink and drive and you have an equation for disaster on the roads.

Teen driving can only be improved by teaching teens responsibility. That’s why driver’s education courses are so important. Most of the time, accidents don’t happen because the teen was too inexperienced – they happen because the teen made reckless choices. This part of driver’s ed can’t be taught in a classroom, which is why Arizona parent taught driver’s ed is often more successful.

Parent Taught vs. Classroom

Ever since Arizona (along with some other states) made it legal for parents to teach driving to their children, people have been debating whether or not this system is valid when compared to a traditional driver’s education course, taught by a state-approved and trained instructor.

On the one hand, classroom driver’s education programs have a number of benefits. By having a trained instructor teach teens about safe driving, the state can assure that all bases are being covered. The teachers are experienced and know the answers to questions, whereas parents may have to look up the answers. Not every parents is a good driver, and with a class taught by an expert, you can be assured that your teen is not picking up your bad habits.

However, studies have shown that these traditional driver’s education courses aren’t really working. In other words, students who take the course are not becoming better drivers. In fact, the mortality rate was actually on the rise for teen drivers in automobile accidents. Arizona, like some other states, has taken a chance on parent taught driver’s ed. Instead of classes, the students learn at home from someone he or she knows and trusts. It is the same debate as the home-schooling debate – many parents simply feel that they can do a better job, especially because teens will have the one-on-one focus they need to excel at driving.

How to Enroll and Completion Requirements

In Arizona, there are no state-sponsored regulations for Arizona parent taught driver’s ed classes. Instead, they simply base the regulations on the fact that the teen needs 25 hours behind the wheel. You don’t have to enroll – you just need a driving permit, which you can get by passing a written test. After getting a permit, the new driver is eligible after five months and 25 hours of practice. They must then pass an on-the-road driving test to get a driver’s license.

Providers Listing

If you’re interested in teaching/taking a parent taught driver’s ed class, it is best to purchase a home study driver’s ed course or enroll in an Internet driver’s ed course designed for Arizona drivers. You can check out the following sites for more information:

• Driver’s Ed in a Box: http://www.driveredinabox.com/states/arizona.htm
  

• National Driver Training Institute: http://www.usdrivertraining.com/arizona_drivereducation.php

• DriversEd.com: http://driversed.com/courses/drivers-ed/arizona-drivers-education.aspx
  

Remember, teen drivers can also go to DrivingUniversity.com to sign up for defensive driving class. Usually used to get out of a ticket, this defensive driving course can actually be taken by anyone looking to improve his or her driving skills. This program is run by the state, so paired with parent taught hands-on training, this is the best of both worlds!