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What do I need to do to get a Driver's license If I'm under 18?
What do I need to do to get a driver's license if I'm over 18?
What should I look for when selecting a driving school?
Safety
training tips for parents
Testimonies
What do I need to do to
get a Driver's license If I'm under 18?
If you
are under 18, you must:
Complete Driver's
educationComplete Driver's education
This can be done online at Safety First. We have a page devoted to driver's ed.
Pass the DMV permit
test
This is a 48 question,
multiple choice test issued at the DMV. You must be at least
15 1/2 years old to take this test. Driver's education prepares
you for this test. We recommend you study the California driver's
handbook for this test - especially while waiting at the DMV to take
the test. An appointment is not necessary but is recommended
to take the permit test. In order to take this test, you need
to have with you at the DMV:
- Completed DL44 - application
for driving license (available at our offices)
- Government issued birth
certificate or passport
- Social Security Card
- Certificate of completion
of Driver's education (blue or pink certificate)
- Certificate of enrollment
in Driver's training (white certificate)
IMPORTANT
NOTE: Once you pass the permit test and are issued the permit,
it is NOT LEGAL TO DRIVE until it is validated by a licensed driving
instructor. This is done on the first behind the wheel driving
lesson.
Complete at least
56 hours of driving experience over the next six months
The DMV requires that you
hold the permit for at least 6 months before you can take the drive
test. There are a minimum of 56 required hours of driving experience
before the drive test can be taken. Of these 56 hours, at least
10 must be at night and a minimum of 6 must be with a licensed driving
instructor. Whatever hours are not completed with a licensed
instructor, must be completed with a licensed adult over 25 years
of age. A
Pass the drive test
at the DMV
This is the behind the
wheel test at the DMV. You must make an appointment for this
test. You need to take the following documentation with you
to the DMV for this test:
- Completed DL44 - application
for driving license (available at our offices)
- Government issued birth
certificate or passport
- Social Security Card
- Certificate of completion
of Driver's education (blue or pink certificate)
- Certificate of enrollment
in Driver's training (white certificate)
- Certificate of completion
of Driver's training (gold certificate)
- Provisional permit (issued
when you passed your permit test)
- Valid and current registration
for the car used to take the test
- Valid and current proof
of insurance for the car used to take the test
It is important to note
that the car used for the drive test will undergo a safety inspection
by the examiner. If there is a brake light or turn signal not
working, the test will be rescheduled.
What do I need to do to
get a driver's license if I'm over 18?
If you
are over 18, you must:
Pass the DMV permit
test
This is a 48 question,
multiple choice test issued at the DMV. Driver's education prepares
you for this test. We recommend you study the California driver's
handbook for this test - especially while waiting at the DMV to
take the test. An appointment is not necessary to take this test.
In order to take this test, you need to have with you at the DMV:
- Completed DL44 - application
for driving license (available at our offices)
- Government issued
birth certificate or passport
- Social Security Card
Pass the drive
test at the DMV
This is the behind the
wheel test at the DMV. You must make an appointment for this
test. You need to take the following documentation with you
to the DMV for this test:
- Completed DL44 - application
for driving license (available at our offices)
- Government issued
birth certificate or passport
- Social Security Card
- Permit (issued when
you passed your permit test)
- Valid and current
registration for the car used to take the test
- Valid and current
proof of insurance for the car used to take the test
It is important to note
that the car used for the drive test will undergo a safety inspection
by the examiner. If there is a brake light or turn signal
not working, the test will be rescheduled.
While driver's education
and training are not required for those over 18 years of age, we recommend
that everyone undergo at least the behind the wheel portion of our training
program before they try to tackle the roads on their own.
What should I look
for when selecting a driving school?
Driving is a skill that will
be used for your entire life. It is also the leading cause of death
and injury in the nation. Don't be afraid to ask questions of the
instructors and staff about the curriculum and teaching methods.
There are many excellent driving schools out there but unfortunately there
are also many driving schools are small "mom and pop" operations that
really don't do much teaching. Some schools spend the time in the
car with the student but much of it spent aimlessly driving around without
a real plan or syllabus to follow. If a school has a reputation for being
the "easy" school that isn't necessarily a good thing. Many schools
will not provide a full program of driver's education and training.
If you are paying for a certain number of hours, don't you think it's
fair that the school provide those hours? If your lesson is scheduled
to last two hours and it's over in 90 minutes, you've been cheated.
Safety
training tips for parents
- Begin the first 3 or 4
sessions in a residential area in light traffic.
- Minimum practice time
should be 30 minutes. In the first 15 hours, five and ten minute drives
do not help much and usually destroy confidence. Remember, it takes
your new driver at least 15 to 20 minutes just to get relaxed and
to get used to a different car.
- We teach only the correct
way to drive which means observing and obeying all traffic laws and
standard safety practices. If you have any questions or disagreements
with our methods, please call the office and ask to speak to the manager.
Giving students conflicting advice makes learning very difficult.
- A 15 minute warm-up drive
is a good way to start each lesson. This would be mostly straight
driving in light to moderate traffic.
- No passengers for the
first 15 hours, especially little brothers and sisters, their advice
is not usually welcomed. Also having both Mom and Dad in the car is
very stressful for your new driver…so only one teacher at a
time is best. The reason is, most parents do not drive exactly the
same way, and both usually want to give advice.
- The better you are at
seeing situations develop and point them out to our new driver, the
less stress you will experience.
- Please do not give any
last minute directions like “TURN HERE!” Always let your
student know a block in advance before any turn or lane change. This
is why it is not advisable to run errands as a part of the training
program, because this is when the sense of urgency comes into the
lesson…creating more stress for everyone.
- Never make your criticisms
personal, and keep them to a minimum. A new driver cannot do everything
perfect right away, it sometimes takes 2 or 3 attempts, if not 200.
- Keep your sentences short,
and avoid general conversation; your new driver really needs to concentrate
on the task at hand.
- Music is another distraction
that is not needed in the first 10 to 15 hours of driving.
- Ask your instructor for
other helpful hints and what to watch for.
Testimonies
They were great!
I am now on my fifth child being trained by Safety First. All of them have been well prepared, they've all passed all the required tests, and none of them have had an accident so far! I was very happy with the customer service that I have received from these folks over the many years - yes, you do have to wait your turn for an appointment, but that is no different than anywhere else. Plan ahead and everything is great! I trust them and they have always been very responsive to my children's needs!
( This review appears on MerchantCircle business listing)
Dear Safety
First Driving School,
I would just like to take a moment and thank you and your staff for
providing such excellent service. I am a parent of three boys who have
taken drivers education/training from three different companies here
in the Conejo Valley.
Because I have had the exposure
to the other driving schools I can say that Safety First by far provides
better instruction and instructors. Some
of the issues we had with other schools were price, scheduling, instructors
showing up late, or cutting my child's drive time to get to get back
to their over booked schedules.
With Safety First the instructors were always early, provided fantastic
instruction and insight, as well as showed genuine concern to provide
the best instruction for the new driver.
It's scary as a parent that
your child will be behind the wheel, you want to know that the instruction
that was given was the best it can
be to educate them to be safe, cautious and defensive drivers. With
car accidents as the #1 cause of death for young adults I am grateful
that Safety First doesn't cut corners. I have lived in Thousand Oaks
since 1974 and whenever I am asked for a recommendation for new drivers
I will always recommend Safety First.
Sincerely,
Kathleen J.
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| Telephone: 805-374-2393 |
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