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How Much Does Driving School Cost?

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Congratulations, your child is ready for driving school. While reaching this momentous life stage, your thoughts teeter from excitement to ever-increasing anxiety. After safety, pricing often tops the worry list for students – and parents of students - looking to obtain driving certification. Indeed, prices for driving school cover a wide spectrum. Price is primarily driven by the licensing requirements of your state, the hours of required instruction and whether the course is taught online or in a classroom. Topics range from instruction on the various driving road signs you encounter to providing safe winter driving tips. There is even instruction for those interested in a commercial truck or car driving jobs as well.

There is also driving instruction for highly tactical drivers like law enforcement and security forces, defensive and evasive driving courses, and other courses to address highly specialized segments. Read on for information to help you determine costs and course requirements in your state, as well as reviewing some of the specialty driving school offerings and costs.

State Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Written Course Requirements

The DMV branch of your state government sets the requirements for different classes of driving certification. One of the largest segments is educating young drivers under the age of 18. Typical requirements include both written course work (but not in all states) and 40 to 50 hours of behind the wheel instruction (but not always with a certified driving school.) Both written and on the road courses are often taught through the state's high school system. There is also a typical "learner's permit" licensing process and required timeframe for issuance.

Pricing for the written portion of the course work varies tremendously dependent on if it is taught online or in an actual classroom. Online instruction modules are available in the $40 to $100 range, and allow the student to take the coursework at his own pace. There are online courses for specific alcohol abuse topics that are required by many states, as well as the core "rules of the road" instruction. Classroom delivery through certified driving schools is understandably more expensive – ranging from $250 to $500 for approximately 36 hours.

What if My State Does Not Require Written Courses for Licensure?

Even if your state does not require drivers education course completion, it may still be worth the investment for new drivers. Automobile accidents are the primary reason for teenage fatalities. Increased knowledge and experience can help offset this trend. Insurance costs may be reduced as well for those taking certified courses, even if not required in your state.

DMV Requirements for Behind-the-Wheel

While most states require a certain number of behind-the-wheel hours with a certified driving instructor, some states allow parents to teach their children. All states require new drivers to log their hours spent behind the wheel. Targets for driving hours logged range from 40 to 50 with a portion of those hours logged at night. If your state requires behind the wheel instruction by a certified driving school, you will pay anywhere from $1500 to $2200 for the 40 to 50 hours of instruction. So, again for teen drivers, take advantage of instruction provided in school to satisfy this requirement if at all possible.

Tactical Driving Instruction – Think High-Speed Chase

Tactical driving schools train military professionals, law enforcement and government security personnel. They immerse their students in intense training scenarios ranging from high-speed chases to navigating enemy-laden situations. Stunt drivers are also often taught in these specialty schools. With classroom instruction followed by proper vehicle set-up, aspiring tactical and stunt drivers are then put to the test in highly authentic scenarios. Pricing is understandably high for this high-risk niche of driver education with prices ranging from $500 to $2500 and more, depending on the number of hours and nature of the actual course.

Defensive and Evasive Driving Ed

Learn defensive tips and evasive tactics from the pros to better protect yourself or family in threatening driving environments. These courses cover topics ranging from how to handle the "road rage" driver to honing your skills and attention to avoid accidents that happen in the blink of an eye. Completion of this coursework can be a true life-saver – one you hope you will never need. Cost for this highly specialized education is dependent on the size of the group and subject material.

More affordable defensive driving courses are available through online driving schools and often suggested by courts or attorneys to those receiving a ticket for a traffic violation. These courses do not include on the road instruction like the specialty defensive and evasive schools but can provide good refreshers on basic safety topics. Online costs range from $10 to $30.

Kirton Womand