New Jersey Parent Taught Drivers Ed
In New Jersey, there are three stages to getting a license – the
permit stage, the provisional license stage, and the basic driver’s
license stage. Unlike in many states, there are parts of the licensing
that must be completed with a trained professional. However, a New
Jersey parents taught driver’s ed course is actually one of the most
important parts of your education as a new driver. If you’re 16, begin
exploring your options for on-the-road training.
What is Parent Taught Driver’s Ed?
In New Jersey, parent taught driver’s ed is a part of the learning
experience. To get on the road, you have to have a learner’s permit. In
New Jersey, you first take a written test, and then are issued a
driver’s permit for 6 hours of on-the-road training with a school or
professional driving course. This can’t be parent taught in this state.
After those six hours of on-the-road training, your permit will be
validated for six months of supervised, educational driving.
Although you can take a course through a professional driving school or
your high school in many cases, for some students in New Jersey, parent
taught driver’s ed is a much better option. Unlike typical teen driving
school, the parent will take control of the learning instead of giving
that control to an instructor. Just like many parents believe that
homeschooling is the best educational option, many also believe that
parent taught driver’s ed is the best option.
What is Home Study Driver’s Ed?
A New Jersey home study driver’s ed course is vital to the success
of a new driver. If you’re participating in a New Jersey parent taught
driver’s ed course, having the home study driver’s ed material is a
great way to ensure you’re covering all of your bases. Home study
packages come with DVDs or videos, audio cassettes, manuals, and more
to help both parents and teens become better drivers. They also come
with study guides so that teens are prepared to take the on-the-road
test.
Online Driver’s Ed
If you’re participating in a New Jersey parent taught driver’s ed
course, you can also opt to do some of your learning online. Like with
New Jersey home study driver’s ed material, online driver’s ed course
cover the basic while preparing you for the actual driver’s test. You
still need to complete on-the-road training with a parent or guardian,
but an online driver’s ed course, like the one offered by Driving
University, can really help boost your skills. Internet driver’s ed
classes can be taken at your own pace at any time, day or night. They
can even help you lower your auto insurance!
Teen Driving
The New Jersey guidelines for permits and licenses are so strict
because studies prove that inexperienced teen drivers cause a higher
percentage of fatal accidents than any other group. This is in part due
to inexperience, but it also has to do with the typical teen driving
mentality. Teens often think the following:
- They are invincible, so speeding, running red lights, and so forth will never cause them to be in a serious accident.
- They can handle faster speeds than what is posted because they are better drivers.
- They need to impress friends who encourage them to drive dangerously.
Thousands of teens die in automobile accidents every year, and New
Jersey has its own share of tragedies. New Jersey parent taught
driver’s ed is often a good replacement for traditional teen driving
school because parents can talk one-on-one with their children about
the importance of safe driving.
Parent Taught vs. Classroom
Just like people debate over homeschooling, people debate over
whether or not parent taught driver’s ed is a good idea. There are pros
and cons to each. Some of the pros of New Jersey parent taught driver’s
ed include the following:
- Parents know their teen’s strengths and weaknesses better than a stranger would.
- Parents can give their child more individual one-on-one training.
- Because New Jersey requires 6 hours of on-the-road training with an accredited school before issuing a permit, parents never fully teach driving alone.
However, some of the cons to parent taught driver’s ed include the
following:
- Parents aren’t trained. A professional might do a better job.
- Teens don’t like to listen to their parents, and often feel more comfortable taking direction from a stranger.
- Parent taught driver’s ed takes time, and many don’t put in the hours they should.
How to Enroll and Completion Requirements
To begin the New Jersey parent taught driver’s ed portion of your
licensing requirements, you must first enroll in a 6 hour accredited
on-the-road teen driving school class through a professional company or
your school. You can do this at the age of 16. After that, you need to
complete the written test and 6 hours of training to get your permit
validated. From that point, you can spend the net 6 months
participating in parent taught driver’s ed.
To complete the course and get your provisional driver’s license, you
must meet the following requirements:
- 17 years old
- At least 6 months of on-the-road training while supervised
- Completion of the on-the-road test through the New Jersey MVC
You have four tries to pass the on-the-road test, waiting at least two
weeks between each attempt. If you don’t pass at that point, you have
to wait up to a year before you can try again. You can use this time to
refresh your skills with your parent.
Providers Listing
If you’re going to participate in New Jersey parent taught driver’s
ed, consider an Internet driver’s ed course or home study driver’s ed
course to help you learn. Online, check out the driving programs
offered by DrivingUniversity.com, and
consider ordering audio/video/print course from Driver’s Ed
in a Box or The National Driver Training
Institute.
