From a parent’s perspective, letting your teen drive for the first time can be a very overwhelming experience, filled with both fear and a sense of pride. When a teen finally reaches a milestone such as this, a whirlwind of emotions and feelings come rushing into the lives of the new drivers as well as their guardians. All of these feelings are completely normal and expected. After all, the little ones are growing up into adults. Driving is also the most dangerous activity most of us partake in on a near-daily basis. That’s why in the state of Idaho, all teens must take a state-approved driver’s education course before obtaining their drivers license.
Want The Fast Answer? This Is The Best Online Drivers Ed Course In Idaho
Idaho Teen Drivers License Requirements
Here are some of the requirements and steps to obtaining your drivers license as a teen in Idaho…
Basic Idaho Teen Drivers Ed Requirements
In order to enroll in an Idaho online drivers ed program, students must be between the ages of 14.5 and 21 years old. If you live in a public school district, drivers ed is most likely provided through your school. You can also sign up with a private driving school or take your drivers ed online in Idaho.
How To Sign Up For Idaho Teen Drivers Ed
If you’re eligible to take driver education in Idaho, you must contact your local high school whether you want to enroll online or use a traditional classroom setting. You’ll also need to buy a driver education permit here. This permit must be purchased before any instruction begins. Make sure you have the following info to obtain your Idaho driving permit:
- Birth Certificate
- Social Security Card
- Proof of Residency
- Picture Identification
- Verification of Compliance Form (retrieve from your high school administrative office)
Idaho Teen Drivers Ed Training Hour Requirements
Your classroom hours must be a minimum of 30 hours in length. You will also need to complete 6 hours of behind the wheel driver training and 6 hours of back seat observation time. Students under the age of 17 will also need to complete a total of 50 hours of driving practice with 10 of those hours being during nighttime hours. Driving practice must be completed with a licensed driver over the age of 21.
Finally, students can head to their local DMV to take a written and driving skills test. This will enable teens to obtain their probationary drivers license!
Is Idaho Online Drivers Ed Better Than A Classroom?
Your first choice for taking drivers ed in Idaho is the traditional method of attending driving school in a classroom. This option does the trick and provides students with the knowledge that they need, but it can also feel like a punishment instead of a useful activity. Students must spend their days in a stuffy classroom listening to an instructor lecture. The entire ordeal appears boring, dull, and as if it will never end. Thus, teens don’t always learn and retain the information well.
Your alternative is enrolling in a state-approved Idaho online drivers ed program. Teens aren’t the only folks that benefit from picking this choice. As a former driving instructor, most parents assume I’m against online drivers ed courses, but the opposite is actually true. Online drivers ed is interactive, self-paced, and students seem to retain the information much better.
Parents also benefit. While high school classes are usually available, some students sign up for privately run driving schools. In this case, parents don’t have to drive their teen back and forth to class, which saves them some time and money. Students can typically use a device of their choosing such as a smartphone or tablet, and can complete the work from virtually anywhere. Additionally, fewer distractions and being able to study on their own terms will help ensure they pass the real test.
There are a few things to keep in mind before jumping the gun and enrolling a teen in an Idaho online drivers ed program though. For instance, in the state of Idaho, anyone under the age of 17 is required to complete the class to obtain a drivers license. It must also be the person’s first time applying in the state. Otherwise, he or she may run into some problems when attempting to get their license in the future.
Still, more and more students each year are opting to take an Idaho online drivers ed course over sitting in a classroom. They are able to work at their own pace, which is a big draw, as it prevents them from feeling like they can’t keep up and are falling behind other peers in a classroom. Also, this Internet-based approach often winds up being more affordable than the traditional brick and mortar schooling. So, if your budget is a concern, these Idaho online drivers ed establishments can help you out in this regard.
The 2 Best Idaho Online Drivers Ed Schools
The state of Idaho does not offer too many options for completing drivers ed online. Most students take their drivers ed course through a high school or local driving school, so Idaho only has a couple options to choose from. In these reviews, I’ll go over some of the differences between your options.
1. DriversEd.com
DriversEd.com is one of the longest-running online drivers ed programs in the country. If you are on a budget but want your teen to be as prepared as possible, DriversEd.com is definitely worth looking into. Even though it is an older drivers ed course, the coursework was recently updated and includes some nice new modern features. For example, I really like the interactive videos where students must make driving decisions as they happen. They also include some games to help students learn some of the more boring rules of the road.
The lessons are interactive, engaging, and are broken up into easy to manage chapters. Plus, students can use just about any PC or mobile device to complete the course, and they can log into and out of the course whenever they want. This state-approved Idaho online drivers ed course is the most flexible, modern, and convenient option available. Enrolling in DriversEd.com is pretty straightforward. They also have an excellent U.S. based customer support staff in case you run into any issues along the way. Without a doubt, this should be a top consideration for anyone signing up for online drivers ed in Idaho.
Learn More About DriversEd.com Here
2. Idaho Digital Learning
The Idaho Digital Learning Program was designed with the residents of Idaho mind. This course meets the state and national standards needed to get a driving permit. The class is intended for those who would like to fulfill their “classroom” instruction in the comfort of their own home. Idaho Digital Learning usually doesn’t take too long to finish and meets the state minimum requirements so you don’t spend a minute longer than needed. In many cases, students complete the course in about 6-weeks.
It is important to note that the course will only provide the classroom portion of the program. You will have to seek out a licensed in-car instructor to assist with the required behind the wheel hours. It is a good idea to complete these portions in the same time frame. Otherwise, obtaining your license may seem to drag on and on. In many cases, Idaho Digital Learning can help you locate a local driving instructor to fulfill your behind the wheel training requirements. The course is graded on a pass/fail scale. In other words, there is no letter grade. Rather, the minimum amount of points must be earned to pass the class as a whole. Take a peek at their website, and you will quickly come to realize why it is considered one of the best Idaho online drivers ed programs to sign up for.
Learn More About Idaho Digital Learning Here
A Bit Of Advice To Consider
There are a few things that you should be aware of before signing a contract with any Idaho online drivers ed program. The first thing is that there are many scams in the world today. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for a pupil not to commit to something that feels fishy or seems strange. These scams are just waiting for you to fall for their gimmicks, and in turn, give them your hard-earned money. Plus, not all schools are approved providers in every state. Failing to look them over can result in the teen doing loads and loads of coursework for no reason as it won’t count toward their requirement. So, make sure the institution is accepted in your hometown to avoid letting mishaps have a chance to occur in the first place.