Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed VS. Adult Drivers Education
Due to the recent changes to licensing laws in Texas, all Texas drivers license applicants under 24 years of age must take some form of a drivers education course. Drivers under the age of 18 have to take an extensive parent taught drivers education class while those between 18 and 24 can get by just by taking a short six hour adult drivers education class. What if you are 17 ½ years old now and wish to apply for a drivers license? Should you start taking a parent taught class or should you wait for six months and complete the adult drivers education course? We will try to help you answer this question by explaining what each class consist of and what procedures you must follow when taking one or the other.
Parent Taught Drivers Education in Texas
First of all, let's take a look at Texas parent taught drivers education classes. They came as a convenient substitute for conventional drivers ed courses when one had to spend countless hours in the classroom. Their main convenience is that you can take the class at your own pace, whenever you and your parent instructor have time. Depending on the drivers ed provider that you choose, you may take an online course over the Internet or order a book and study it at home. Prices and the exact curriculum may vary, but essentially, all providers offer the same class that meets the same state-requirements - 30 hours of classroom and 36 hours of behind the wheel practice. Prior to starting the program, you must also request approval to do so from the state and one of your parents who currently holds a valid Texas driver license must meet certain eligibility requirements.
Adult Drivers Education Classes
Adult drivers education classes are far from being extensive and cover just the basics of defensive driving practices. The class consist only of 6 hours of instructions and just like with drivers education classes for teenagers, you can take it online or in person. The prices may vary, but you're looking at paying anything between $50 and $100. If you choose to take a Texas adult driver's education class online, you will also have to do an ID verification in person, so you will have to visit one of the verification facilities provided by the school.
Which One To Choose?
If you are 17 ½ years of age and cannot decide whether you should go ahead and take a Texas parent taught drivers ed class or wait for another six months and take a class for adults, you may consider the following things. The only pro of taking an adult drivers education course is saving your time. You simply won't have to spend countless hours studying the driving rules and then more hours acquiring driving experience behind the wheel. However, if you think about this again, you may discover that maybe this is not a pro after all.
Parent taught drivers education courses contain significantly more information than adult drivers ed classes and what's even more importantly, they require students to complete a large number of practice hours behind the wheel and that is a key to becoming a safe and confident driver. There is only one way to become a good driver and that is practice. Practicing under the supervision of a parent or another experienced driver reduces the risk of being involved in a crash, helping you to get through those first months of driving safely. Although no one says that you can't complete an adult course and then do just as many driving hours with parents or relatives, but statistics show that most people choose not to do that unless they are really forced to.
Choosing an adult class over a parent taught drivers education course won't save you any money, as you may find a cheaper parent taught course that would cost just as much as the adult version. For instance, at the moment, parent taught drivers education in Texas may cost anything between $60 and $280, so you have plenty of choices.
Parent taught drivers education courses can also help you get prepared for the Texas permit test, as most of them contain free Texas permit practice tests. The 6 hour adult class usually targets those who already hold a permit and thus doesn't cover things required for passing the exam.
Basically, it all comes down to how much time you are willing to invest into your education and safety.