Texas drivers education designs a series of procedures appropriate for everybody – private or commercial drivers ed instructors, parent-taught programs, driver courses for adults, common or online programs, but you must be aware of the fact that every driver training instructor, school or course provider is, regardless being private or commercial, has to be certified by the Driver Training Division and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
One should fulfill the legal demands so as to earn a driving license – your age should be at least 16 or, if not, having used the learner’s license for no less than 6 months; for this reason, many teens begin their legal driving instruction at the age of 15, so that before turning 16, having a lot of time to drive under the attention of a tutor.
Before applying for to any Texas drivers education program, take into consideration the latest amendments and legislation regarding driving regulations and conditions:
- as of September 1, 2009, in accordance to the 81st Texas legislature, which enacted the Less Tears More Years Act, new drivers in Texas drivers education programs are imposed additional driving experience prior to obtaining a license. This way, new drivers must spend extra 20 driving hours, changing the driving time spent from 14 hours to 34.
These hours have to be certified by a tutor or guardian before a teenager may proceed to phase 2 of Texas’ Graduated Driver Licensing program, and must include a minimum of ten hours at nighttime. This amendment is applicable to both parent taught and standard Texas drivers education course.
*If you are under 18 and have finished a Texas drivers education course, you ought to complete a drivers test at the local DPS office, the final stage for earning your driving certificate (Driving Bill 2730, September 1, 2009);
*in accordance to the law, if you are a student that has applied for the Parent-Taught Driver Education Course before November 1, 2009 and hasn’t earned the driving license yet, the Department of Public Safety in Texas will allow you to finish the course, but you cannot attend Course 101 if you registered in or after November 1, 2009;
* according to the Texas law, persons aged between 18 and 25 who choose to become legal drivers should finalize a six hour driver education program exclusively configured for adults or finish a minor and adult driver education course that is component of the Texas drivers instruction course (effective March 1, 2010);
Texas drivers education is composed by two individual instruction segments: behind-the-wheel preparation and drivers ed coursework.
The parent-taught program is designed for teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17, and guides both the student and the parent, as the parent or guardian must supervise the in-car driving and sign-off the completion of every objective. A teen student interested obtaining the Texas drivers education can initiate the course early on age 14, but is not able to obtain the learner’s permit before age.
