Las Vegas Driver’s Ed

If you’re a teen under the age of 18 years old and you’re seeking a driver’s license, you need to know that Nevada law requires you to take a 30-hour driver’s education course before you are eligible to obtain a full Nevada driver’s license. Understand that this requirement is in addition to the required written test need for your instruction permit, 50 hours of supervised driving experience and, of course, the driving skills test. The purpose of this article is to explain the Las Vegas drivers ed requirement and what you should expect when taking such a course.

The first thing to know is that there are two methods of which you can fill the Las Vegas drivers ed requirement. One method is to take the 30-hour course in a traditional classroom setting. This can be in a high school or through a Las vegas driving school that is licensed by the Nevada DMV. In the past, nearly all high schools in Las Vegas offered driver’s ed as an elective. Unfortunately, however, due to severe budget cuts over the past few years, many schools have eliminated driver’s education from their curriculum.

The god news is that if you are seeking to attend driver’s ed in Las Vegas in a classroom setting, there are still a couple licensed driving schools that offer the course. The bad news is that these classroom courses outside of high school are somewhat inconvenient. Typically, these courses require the student to attend two Saturdays and two Sundays in a row for 7 1/2 hours each day. That’s two weekends that you will have to spend in a classroom. The other downfall of taking Las Vegas driver’s ed at a driving school is the cost. Unlike online classes, which are very inexpensive, a classroom course will cost $100 or more!

At our Las Vegas driving school, we have been approved by the Nevada DMV to offer the required 30-hour driver’s ed course completely online. This means your required 30-hours drivers ed can be taken on any device with internet access. This includes desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet (ipad, etc) and even on your smartphone. So, rather than sitting in class for two weekends, you can finish the course on your own schedule. All you need to do is log in, read the text and watch the videos and animations. Many students take the course on their way to school, during breaks and anywhere they have a few minutes to spare.

All you need to do is log in and answer verification questions that you provide us. This is a security feature required by the DMV for all online driver’s education courses. Once you log in, you will be taken to where you left off last. When you finish the module, you answer a few practice questions. These practice questions are the same that will be asked on your final exam. They will prepare you to earn your driver’s ed certificate that you will than take to the DMV when you apply for your driver’s license.

Unlike the other online Las Vegas drivers ed courses, we provide our students all the tools they need to successfully pass their Nevada driving test. This includes bonus material (manuals, videos etc). So, we offer way more than just an online course. Also, you can take our entire course and final exam for free. You only pay once you are finished. Once payment is received, you will be taken to a link where you can instantly view and print your certificate. So, if you’re looking for a Las Vegas drivers ed course that can be taken anywhere and at anytime, be sure to visit us at NVdriversEd.com.

Distracted Driving Seminars for Teen Drivers

A Selma High School Resource Officer, Derek Gagnon, realizes that not all teen drivers will risk drinking & driving but he does believe the majority of teen drivers will encounter distractions while driving alone or with their friends. These could be conscious decisions like putting on makeup or texting while they drive but the distractions can also be simple things such as changing the station on the radio, opening a water bottle or simply looking over at their friend seated in the passenger seat of the vehicle. These minor distractions can, and often do, have deadly consequences.

On February 22, Gagnon, the Delma Police Department and the Selma Unified School District set out to share the dangers of drinking & driving as well as the effects of distracted driving with local students. The goal behind the effort was to increase awareness of drinking & driving and to show the dangers of distracted driving even if those distractions might seem innocent enough.

The presentation was part PowerPoint with some very sobering facts on teenage drinking and driving, distracted driving and driving while sleepy or fatigued. The remainder was a hands-on exercise where students were equipped with special goggles that simulate an intoxicated person’s vision. Students then tried to maneuver a golf cart around a closed track to see just how dangerous driving under the influence can be.

For the full story in Selma, visit this link: http://hanfordsentinel.com/selma_enterprise/news/distracted-driving-lesson-alerts-teens-to-neglectful-driving/article_ba7dbea1-3442-58a2-9137-8e4a82ab6d2c.html

Las Vegas Driving School Offers Teen Distracted Driving Seminars 

NV Drivers Ed, a local Las vegas driving school, offers similar programs throughout the Vegas Valley at various times and locations throughout the year. These seminars can be eye-opening to new and soon-to-be teen drivers. Inevitably, there is always something that teens take away from this type of training and it could be the “light bulb” that goes off when teens contemplate doing something that they know is wrong when operating a vehicle.

NV Drivers Ed uses a golf cart on a closed course so that licensed and non-licensed teens can participate. The program is completely supervised to ensure the safety of all involved. The program includes video presentations and hands-on, behind-the-wheel training. The course is expected to have a positive impact on all teens and it is geared to make them think twice about the consequences of distracted driving before they get behind the wheel. We have found that this type of hand-on training has a more profound effect on teen decision making rather than just watching videos or reading text.

If your teen could benefit from this type of training, please watch for future updates of times and locations in the Las Vegas area or contact NV Drivers Ed at 702-907-9992 for more details.

Consumer Reports Ranks the Safest Used Cars Under $10,000 for Teen Drivers

The parents of our student drivers often ask the staff members at our Las vegas driving school about the safest cars for teen drivers. As luck would have it, Consumer Reports recently ranked the top 10 safest cars for teens. Better yet, the rankings are only for vehicles that are under $10,000. Both Volkswagen and Ford made the list twice. Volkswagen with the Jetta and Golf and Ford with the Focus and Fusion.

Consumer Reports lists one of the most important safety features as “electronic stability control” or ESC. ESC has been statistically proven to be the most important piece of safety equipment since the seatbelt was invented. The purpose of ESC is to keep the vehicle on the road during emergency situations, which helps prevent rollover accidents.

Another important safety feature that Consumer Reports recommends is side and curtain airbags. These have shown to keep vehicle occupants inside the vehicle during automobile accidents.

And finally, the size of the vehicle was an important factor by Consumer Reports. While many parents seek “big” vehicles for their new teen drivers, these typically result in far more parking lot dings and scratches. Also, mid size sedans were recommended over SUVs due to the lower center of gravity, better stability and reduced chance of rollover.

Here’s the rest of the Consumer Reports article

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is driving while engaging in any activity that draws a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.  Today, the largest group of people who think they can beat the odds involved in distracted driving are drivers under the age of 20, who make up 11% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes caused by distracted driving.

This should not come as a surprise: Any driver under 20 today is part of the electronic-media generation, known for taking great pride in their ability to multitask.  They have apparently gone from the early-teen remark, “Oh, I always do my homework while I’m watching TV, on the phone and tweeting” to the later teen boast that they can drive and, even if they are obeying the law and aren’t texting, can still chat with friends in the back seat simultaneously.

Anyone who believes that driving is an area where multitasking is a useful ability simply does not understand what’s at stake.

To get an idea of why that’s so, consider a simple everyday thought like this:  “I’m hungry.”  OK, now you remember the food in the bag somewhere nearby.  How long might it take, for example, to find a bag (searching with one hand) and then dig through it to find a sandwich, and then success!.. but you still need to unwrap it and then…….you get the picture.  The car is rolling all this time.

How Many Seconds Was That?  

You might say “just a few” but consider this:

At 60 mph— less than freeway speed— if you glance down for just 2 seconds to unwrap a sandwich, insert a CD, or change the climate control, you have traveled blindly for 176 feet – more than half the length of a football field!

Some trusting souls think they can overcome this situation by making sure the steering wheel remains in a fixed position going straight ahead — by keeping one hand on the wheel or by propping the wheel against their knees.  This might work in a controlled experiment in a lab with a dry track, but out on the road, look out!

Any sudden thing that comes up that you didn’t see before—even if’s not a big thing like a car but “a little itty-bitty thing” like a puddle or a patch of gravel covering the road – can present a hazard. With eyes off the road, you won’t be able to take evasive action.  Even if you do look back to the road in time, you’ll most likely need to have both hands available instantaneously to avoid disaster.

Distracted Driving is not Just Physical

Human beings have a wide range of different emotions and all of them can cause different effects when driving. One of the main effects is simply distraction; when drivers are emotional they are focused on the particular emotion or thought that is making them feel that way instead of the situation on the road.

This is the main problem with any emotional state while driving:  it causes distraction, and it doesn’t make any difference whether the driver is emotionally upset or the opposite: occupied with positive thoughts. No matter what, drivers must focus on the task at hand, so the best drivers are those who are able to block out any irrelevant thoughts during the period of time that they’re behind the wheel.

Some of the physiological effects of emotions include an increased heart rate, the release of adrenalin, which can cause a wide range of different effects, an inability to focus, restlessness, muscle tension, upset stomach, chest pain, fatigue, and many other symptoms. Clearly all of these symptoms can have a major effect on a person while they are driving, and they can most definitely affect the operation of the vehicle. Drivers must be aware of their emotional state and understand the importance of focusing on the act of driving to guarantee their safety and the proper operation of the vehicle.