For many teenagers, getting a driver’s license is associated with freedom. The driver’s education course is a route that several students take to get one step closer to this goal. According to the transportation director Jerry Heitman, between 80 and 100 students apply for driver’s ed, but only 60 students are accepted.

Driver’s ed is a month-long course that occurs during the summer months when school is no longer in session. The course is a time commitment which can be an issue for students. Some students travel or work during the summer months, making it difficult for them to attend.

To enroll in driver’s education classes, it costs about $200. For some students, it may be difficult to find the money to attend the course.

The course teaches students to be responsible drivers and furthers driving skills. Attending and passing the driver’s ed course can result in a reduced insurance premium. According to an insurance agent, they assume that you are a competent, safe driver. It also shows a level of responsibility and commitment to getting your driver’s license if you went through the driver’s ed course. For several students, the opportunity to get cheaper insurance motivates them to take the course. Park High senior, Courtney Huff, expressed that she attended driver’s ed in order to receive a discounted insurance price.

Enrolling in driver’s ed gives students the opportunity to receive their license at an earlier age. Students can take the driver’s ed course at as young as fourteen and a half and get their full license at the age of fifteen. In this course, students receive their driving permit which requires them to obtain 50 hours of driving with a licensed adult.

Once students receive their permit, there is a mandatory six-month waiting period before they are eligible to get their license. Due to the driver’s ed course occurring in the summer, most students do not get their driver’s license until the winter months. This can be extremely dangerous for newly licensed drivers to be driving in unpredictable weather conditions. Accidents are more likely to occur for new divers especially if the road conditions are not ideal.