We have noticed that while some parents are very eager to start practicing with their teen. Other parents are not as enthusiastic about the thought of being strapped in the passenger seat, with their teen at the wheel. Many teens are not getting the practice they need to be safe. Either way, I wanted to answer some of the FAQ’s I get regarding practicing. Along with some incentives to make sure your teen is getting the best driver education possible!!

Q. How often should I be practicing with my teen?

A. The law requires that a minor get 50 hours of practice with an adult 25 or older who is a CA licensed driver. 10 of those hours should be at night. This does not necessarily mean only Mom or Dad. Grandparents, other relatives, family friends, and even your teens friends parents are other good options. Drive as frequently as possible!!

Q. What should I be practicing with my teen?

A. It is important that a student driver get practice in lots of different types of traffic, and new places. Sometimes it is hard to tell what to look for. For the most part, new drivers can appear confident, and most of the time, make good decisions as the driver. Next thing you know, he/she makes a bone head maneuver, that caught you off guard. This can be very scary for the students practice buddy. This is where your experience comes into play #1 Remain calm!!! A panicked driver will do even stranger things… #2 Find a safe area and pull over to discuss what happened and what they should have done. I carry a white board, to illustrate my words. “Right of way” and “blind spot” are just terms until it’s time to find out first hand what those terms actually mean. If you need to be somewhere at a particular time, leave at least 10 minutes early!!!

Q. My teen does not want to practice, what do I do?

A. Don’t get angry. They are simply anxious about what you will think. #1. Remind them that you are under legal obligation to make sure they practice. Offer to drive out of the neighborhood, then switch. Start with shorter, more familiar drives. Often the hardest part is starting. Once they get going, most of the anxiety will disappear. Tell your teen that if they have enough, or want to stop, they can. Breathing is key, if you notice your teen breathing fast or sweating. Ask them if they are okay. People also hold their breath when they are frightened, remind them to breathe too, oxygen will help their brain function better. #2. I have also heard that bribery works…teens love a drive-thru!

Q. Can their be passengers in the vehicle?

A. Yes. As long as the “practice buddy” is in the passenger seat, your teen can drive siblings, or their teammates home after practice. Remember that your teen will feel more pressure to drive well in front of others. Make sure you feel that your teen is ready to handle some distractions, and added stress while driving before attempting passengers. I suggest talking with siblings about letting the driver concentrate, and keeping quiet if a mistake is made

Q. It has been a long time since I learned to drive. How do I know if I am teaching my teen correctly?

A. Ask the instructor! We are happy to answer you questions, and can usually pop in for a few minutes at the end of the lesson to discuss your Teen. We also would like to offer a licensed driver brush-up for practice buddies. This is a private one hour evaluation and brush up on your existing skills. This can eliminate arguments over ‘the right way’ to do something.
Having a private lesson is a great time to discuss any concerns you are having with your teen’s instructor. I myself did not take professional driving lessons until I became an instructor. I was amazed by who much I thought I knew… This class would be extremely valuable to anyone who enjoys being ‘right’ all the time Ask about our one hour brush up lesson for $55.00.

Q. I think my teen might need additional lessons… Can I get a price break on a second set?

A. We set up our lesson format to be very flexible. There are 12 and 18 hour packages available, or you may do lessons a la carte, as needed. For the holidays, we decided to offer a special promotion to students who could benefit from some additional training. After your student has completed their first six hours on instruction, and you purchase an additional six hour package for $300.00, we will use the last lesson as the drive test! This is a $60.00 savings!

Regular Price Break down:
Lesson #5 $80.00
Lesson #6 $80.00
Lesson #7 $80.00
Drive test $120.00 (includes one hour warm up, test in our car, unlimited time at DMV for processing, ride home
Total $360.00

At Drive Happy our goal is not to be the largest driving school. We simply want to be the best. We are very proud of what we do. My favorite part of teaching is seeing the students ‘light bulb’ switch on, and suddenly everything make sense. I really enjoy building pride and confidence in my students. People often overlook the importance of driving safely. We focus so much on work, school, and family…that we forget how we get to work, school, and family. We drive, everyday. We all share the same roads, and all share the right to be safe. Let’s work together, and Drive Happy!!

Congratulations to one of Murrieta’s newest licenced drivers. This adult student came to us for a brush-up before her Drive Test, and passed on her first try with an excellent score of -4.

If you, or someone you know is nervous about taking the Behind-the-Wheel Drive Test in California Drive Happy can help!

Drive Happy!

Congratulations to one of Murrieta’s newest licensed drivers!

This adult student completed 8.5 hours of Behind-the-Wheel training with Josh. On Friday he took the Drive Test in our car, and passed his driving test with a very good score of -4.

This student is an excellent example of how adults can benefit from Behind-the-Wheel training. He came to us with a little experience, but no real opportunity to practice. We were able to set up a training program that worked with his schedule, and help him pass the driving test.

If you’d like help passing the driving test, we can help. Visit our Teen or Adult training pages for more information on the services that we provided.

Just got an e-mail this evening from a student’s mom. She let us know that her daughter passed the Drive Test on her first try!

This teen student completed 6 hours of Behind-the-Wheel training with Josh on Monday. This afternoon she took the test at the Temecula DMV in her own car, and passed. Her score was an excellent -2.

If you, or someone you know would like to pass the drive test on their first try, give us a call!

That is all for tonight!

Drive Happy1

This morning we have congratulations for one of Winchester’s newest licensed drivers!

This teen student completed 6 hours of Behind-the-Wheel Training with Josh. He was an excellent student who always worked hard during every lesson. His parents were also very involved in his training, by taking the time to ask questions, and praticeHe decided to take the Drive Test in our car, and passed with an excellent score of -2!

If you, or someone that you know would like to learn how to drive, Drive Happy can help. We love teaching new drivers. Maybe you can also pass the Drive Test with a great score like our student this morning!

Browse our website for details on all the training programs that we offer, or call us at 951-805-8666.

That is all for today. Have a good one, and. . .

Drive Happy!

Congratulations to one of Falbrook’s newest drivers!

This teen student completed 6 hours of training with Josh. On Monday she took the drive test in her own car and passed on her first attempt!

Drive Happy’s teen training programs are a great way to learn the basics of driving. If you or someone you know would like to learn how to drive, we can help!

Drive Happy

More Drive Test?

Yes!

Congratulations to one of Murrieta’s newest licensed drivers. This adult student completed 2 hours of Behind-the-Wheel Training with Josh. This afternoon she took the Drive Test in our car, and passed with an awesome score of -1.

A great example of how an adult student can pass with minimal professional instruction. This student practiced a lot before coming to us for a brush up lesson before her driving test. We were able to correct some minor mistakes she was making, and prepare her for everything that she was going to be tested on, which gave her a great confidence boost.

If you, or someone you know is looking for a brush up, or a practice Drive Test, we can help!

Drive Happy

A former student called in yesterday to let us know that she passed the Drive Test with a perfect score!

This teen student from Murrieta completed 6 hours of Behind-the-Wheel Training with Josh. Last month she took the Drive Test on her own at the Temecula field office, and got a 100% score!

This is a great example of how a student can succeed on the Drive Test in their own car, with our help. She was a great student, who put a lot of effort into all of her driving lessons, and practiced regularly between lessons. She also went out practicing the day of her Drive Test to make sure she was warmed up and ready to go.

If you, or someone you love would like to get a perfect score on the Drive Test, we can help.

Drive Happy

Congratulations to the teen student driver from Murrieta who passed the Drive Test yesterday!

This student finished 6 hours of training with Amber. He decided to take our Drive Test lesson, which includes an extra hour of training right before the test, and use of our car. Yesterday afternoon he passed the Drive Test, on his first try!

Remember, preparation for your driving test is vital. The hour warm-up lesson right before the test can be very beneficial. Even if you decide to take the test on your own, you should definitely practice before your test!

If you or someone you know would like to learn to drive, check out our training program, or give us a call at 951-805-8666.

Drive Happy

Congratulations to one of Winchester’s newest licensed drivers!

This adult student completed 10 hours of Behind-the-Wheel training with Josh. He took the Drive Test in our car on New Year’s Eve and passed with an excellent score of -2.

Another great example of how Drive Happy can assist an adult in getting a California Driver License. We were able to build a custom lesson program that worked for our student’s schedule and educational needs. This driver came to us with no driving experience, and after training with us he got a great score on the Drive Test.

If you, or someone you know would like to get a California Driver License, Drive Happy can help!

Drive Happy