You must complete drivers education in New York and pass the written and driving tests to qualify for a driver’s license. You can prepare for the written and road tests by studying the New York State’s Drivers Manual and taking practice tests. Once you have prepared, you should then visit a DMV office and take the written test so you can apply for a learner permit.

The learner permit allows the applicant to learn to drive and it is a stepping stone towards taking and passing the road test. The state of New York requires that anyone who has obtained the learner permit must have supervised driving and must take drivers ed or a pre-licensing course, before they are able to take their road test. Interim driver’s licenses are awarded to those that pass the road test, while the permanent licenses are sent via mail.

Who needs to take drivers ed in New York?

Any new driver who holds a learner permit must abide by the learner permit restrictions as to where and when they can drive, receive an appropriate amount of supervised driving practice, and complete a five-hour pre-licensing course or a driver education course provided by their high school or college. Drivers can schedule their road test immediately after the completion of these, unless they are under age 18, and then they must wait until at least six months after receipt of their learner’s permit before doing so.

Types of Drivers Ed Classes in New York

In New York, drivers can obtain a Pre-Licensing Course Certificate (MV-278) by attending drivers ed school in a high school, college or other DMV approved site, such as Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and successfully completing a pre-licensing course, which is five hours long. They can also acquire a Student Certificate of Completion (MV-285) by completing a high school or college driver education course, which is more in depth and can be as much as 48 hours long, consisting of 24 hours of class study and 24 hours inside the car, including six hours of actual driving.

These certificates are required by the state of New York to ensure that the new driver is prepared to take the mandatory road test. The Pre-Licensing Course Certificate is good for one year from the date of issuance and a Student Certificate of Completion is valid for two years. Instructors follow the course curriculum established by the DMV. The state of New York does not officially approve drivers ed online but drives can still take the course and acquire discounts from insurance providers.

What will you learn in a New York drivers ed school?

Whether you are a going to teen drivers ed or adult drivers ed, the goal of the state of New York is to ready you for future driving, regardless of your age. In a classroom setting students are given knowledge, rules, and establishing good habits, in order to best prepare them for the roadways of the state of New York, which include the following:

• How to drive in the highway transportation system
  • Mental fitness
  • Physical fitness
  • Emotional fitness
  • Knowledge
  • Courteous driving
  • Your skills
  • Good habits
• Habits and skills of the driver
  • Defensive driving
  • Maintaining a safe distance
  • Good decision making
  • Creating good habits
  • Rules of the road
• Understanding your attitudes, feelings and moments when you might take risks
  • How feelings and of feelings and attitudes can influence decision making
  • Consequences
• Drugs, Alcohol and driving
  • Reasons why people use
  • Health concerns
  • Testing
  • Zero tolerance
  • Consequences

New York Drivers Education Requirements

New York requires that drivers meet certain requirements before taking the drivers ed test. If you are under 18 you must have a minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving, including a minimum of 15 hours of night driving and 10 hours of driving in moderate to heavy traffic conditions.

Along with a statement of identity, completed by your parent or guardian, you must bring with you to the road test a Certification of Supervised Driving (MV-262) also completed by your parent or legal guardian, which says that you have attained the necessary hours of supervised driving. Additionally, all drivers are required to provide either a Pre-Licensing Course Certificate (MV-278) or Student Certificate of Completion (MV-285) which provide proof that you have successfully completed a pre-licensing or driver education course.

Benefits of a New York Driver Education Course

In New York, there are many benefits that are gained by taking drivers ed. Young drivers, as an example, are typically more at risk of crashing than other age groups due to a lack of experience behind the wheel. Older drivers may experience a decrease to their physical and mental capacities and may take medication which might impair driving ability.

By providing knowledge and testing their abilities, these courses assure that the drivers are able to safely operate their vehicle. This is beneficial to the state as well as to the affected drivers who receive discounts from many insurance companies.

How to Enroll in a New York Driver Ed School

You can enroll in a driver education course or a pre-licensing course at many high schools and colleges throughout the state of New York. You can find a DMV approved driving schools by searching on the New York DMV website or by searching in the telephone directory under “Driving Instruction”. An online driver ed course is not acceptable in the state of New York.

New York DMV Drivers Ed Certificates

Upon completion of the pre-licensing course or drivers education course, the New York driver receives, respectively, a Pre-Licensing Course Certificate (MV-278) which is good for one year, or a Student Certificate of Completion (MV-285), good for two years. The state’s DMV requires that the driver present one of these certificates when taking the road test and applying for a New York Driver’s License.

Drivers Ed for New Residents of New York

New residents of New York who may have taken driver education course in their prior state but failed to obtain a driver license there must complete the pre-licensing course or drivers ed course in the state of New York before obtaining a New York driver’s license.

New York Drivers Ed vs. Traffic School

In New York Drivers ed is intended to provide a foundation of knowledge to a new driver in the state and prepare them for the road and their first driving exam. Traffic school, on the other hand, may be mandated by the court to address a traffic violation the driver was presented with or can be simply an avenue that they seek in order to dismiss a traffic ticket that they have just received. Both courses provide basic traffic and driving rules, but traffic school is for experienced drivers that want their traffic ticket dismissed and their violation points taken away.

New York Driver Education Fees

Your New York driver education fees will vary depending on the course that you take. Fees for the pre-licensing course, typically a 5-hour course, is $50. Drivers ed prices range from $410 to $650 depending on what high school, college or driving school you choose and whether you are a student at the school. The drivers ed course Is more intensive, covering as much as 24 hours of classroom teaching and 24 hours of in-car driving, with a minimum of 6 hours behind the wheel.

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