Choosing a driving school for my daughters

[allicedout]

So now that my twins have got there G1 its time to get them seat time behind the wheel with a trained professional. With all the (I'll be polite) uneducated drivers on the road I want my girls to be responsible, knowledgeable and defensive drivers. I want them to be prepared for anything. So with that being said I'm on the search for a good driving school program, one that includes an in class portion and in car training. As of now I'm going based on internet reviews but would like some real reviews from people in the community. First instinct is to get them in to Young Drivers of Canada, but based on the reviews in my area it seems I'm better to steer clear. Anyhow anyone who has some insight or suggestions please chime in, I'd appreciate some real reviews and experiences.

Thanks!

[Stephen06GT]

Subscribing. Celeste still has six months before she can get her G1 but she is already reading the divers handbook. As her birthday is in January I think her first lessons will be with a winter driving school. I have heard good things about Ian Law so his winter driving program may be her first course.

[Scrape]

My wife is currently enrolled with All Stars but I would not recommend it. Not sure what is good out there anymore. They all suck ass and the instructors are all overloaded and no real time to train the students. My wife's instructor just makes her drive but she needs to practice parking. Stupid instructor.

[newbiestangowner]

Hem,
ask your daughters if their high school uses one to offer lessons so you could check them out.
I enrolled my daughter with the driving school that her high school use- something like 20 hr in class and 10 ( 1 hr) driving sessions She just completed the in class session and will start the in car soon so I can't give you a review but so far she said they were quite strict on the in class sessions ( homework assignment, breaks timed, and attentiveness in class lol)

[allicedout]

I'm not aware of there high school offering drivers education classes but will look into it, I was hoping to get them signed up soon so they could complete the in class portion before starting school in September. I've been looking at a place called "Competent Drivers", there course consist of 20 hours In-Class Instructions, 10 Hours of Driving School Assignments and 10 Hour in-car-lesson. Based on 231 Google reviews they're rated at 4.9/5 Stars. The course is $375.00, right now this place is at the top for my searches. I plan to go in person to get a feel for what the place is like. Keep you all posted. Stephen I'm very interested in the winter driving course you mentioned, I've attached a Google search link for Competent Drivers and Ian Law below.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=competent+drivers&rlz=1C1EODB_enCA737CA737&oq=competant+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.6447j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Ian Law - Car Control School

http://www.carcontrolschool.com/

[NickD]

I and my siblings used one called ultimate drivers, they offered in class and in car. The in class could be taken in the evening over several weeks or in a week long March break course, I'm sure they do something similar in the summer

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Scrape]

Ian Law is quite amazing. Spoke to him several times as friends of mine know him personally and his course is amazing. Great way to learn to drive defensively. My wife should be enrolled knowing all the idiots on the roads now.

[allicedout]

Ian Law is quite amazing. Spoke to him several times as friends of mine know him personally and his course is amazing. Great way to learn to drive defensively. My wife should be enrolled knowing all the idiots on the roads now.

And that's the fear I have, I think being a good driver just isn't enough today with all the bullshit drivers out there. Good drivers today have to be responsible for there own driving and be defensive of all the other drivers out there that can't and shouldn't be driving! Living in the highest insurance bracket doesn't help either. Don't get me wrong not everyone is Brampton can't drive...... it also doesn't help and boils my blood to know that Peel Region Police don't enforce traffic laws. Instead we've just put red light camera's at major intersections. Sure get a ticket, pay the fine...... No demerit points. Cash grab if you ask me.

Rant over......

[Quicksilver]

Ian Law is a true professional. I took autocross classes with him 20 years ago, and have known him even longer.

You could also go to the Skid Control School. I took their course in 1971.

I will volunteer to teach them handbrake turns and reverse flicks, and maybe also show them what an apex is (using your car of course)

[RedSN]

I want my girls to be responsible, knowledgeable and defensive drivers. I want them to be prepared for anything. So with that being said I'm on the search for a good driving school program,....

....teach them handbrake turns and reverse flicks, and maybe also show them what an apex is (using your car of course)
You forgot: drifting, driving on 2-wheels, jumping bridges. :facepalm:

[ZR]

Ian Law is a true professional. I took autocross classes with him 20 years ago, and have known him even longer.

You could also go to the Skid Control School. I took their course in 1971.

I will volunteer to teach them handbrake turns and reverse flicks, and maybe also show them what an apex is (using your car of course)

You looked younger then Steve.
https://momentsofeternity.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/01-overland-car-jumping-a-fallen-bridge-in-a-promotional-stunt-_phixr1.jpg

[G-ForceJunkie]

It's been 14 years since I was there, but I took Young Drivers, and at the time when I had friends in other schools - Young Driver's was clearly the best. I still use many of the 'ideas' they teach on a daily basis - and I'm quite sure other people who having been driving many many years have no idea about.

I'd recommend a car control school as well, but those are a different skillset than what most driving schools teach.

[83 5.0]

Both my kids went to Young Drivers, they seemed to spend the right amount of in class and driving time needed.
I think my daughter gained the most, as she was very reluctant to get her licence, but she soon figured out Oakville transit just isn't very time efficient to get across town to visit your friends.
I would avoid the schools that offer a crammed Saturday /Sunday in class session. Don't think the kids will absorb much past the first 2 hours.

[Quicksilver]

You looked younger then Steve.
https://momentsofeternity.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/01-overland-car-jumping-a-fallen-bridge-in-a-promotional-stunt-_phixr1.jpg

I was, slightly

[Quicksilver]

You forgot: drifting, driving on 2-wheels, jumping bridges. :facepalm:

That stuff's dangerous, although I did a few "yumps" with my Datsun 510 in my rally days

[Quicksilver]

In case you didn't know, driving instruction is very regulated. you have to have 10 hours of in class instruction, of which the content is mandated, and you have to have 6 or 8 hours of in car instruction. It's been a long time since I was an instructor, but it was carefully regulated even then.
Today it comes down to the teacher, just like in school/. good teacher, good student.

[allicedout]

Quick update...

The girls have completed there in class portion of the course as well as there at home assignments. Glad to say they passed with flying colours! I went over the in class with them and it was very similar to what I had learned when I did drivers Ed. The girls were happy with there instructor, they said he was very thorough and entertaining at the same time. Glad they learned a lot and had fun doing it. I was however disappointed to learn that the curriculum included such things as the effects of spinning tires..... premature tire wear, poor fuel mileage...... etc, etc. Not sure where that came from but I'm sure we call verify that's not true!

A little nervous now.... They start there first in car session tomorrow. I'll update after few lessons..... Trying to convince myself not to get in my car and follow them around..... Still daddy's little girls. Wish them luck! (and me too)

[Scott]

^ Resist Hemant, they will be fine!

[TheMustangShow]

So now that my twins have got there G1 its time to get them seat time behind the wheel with a trained professional. With all the (I'll be polite) uneducated drivers on the road I want my girls to be responsible, knowledgeable and defensive drivers. I want them to be prepared for anything.
Thanks!

You can also teach them to drive yourself.

[allicedout]

You can also teach them to drive yourself.

I could....... but I don't have the patience to do it.

[allicedout]

And here goes my oldest........ :concern: (by 30 seconds)

9293

[newbiestangowner]

:thumbsup:
^^ I followed mine for a bit, the instructor said " is that your Dad behind us?" lol^^

[allicedout]

:thumbsup:
^^ I followed mine for a bit, the instructor said " is that your Dad behind us?" lol^^

LOL!!! I'm sure that's most of us.....

First lesson was fantastic! The girls felt confident and did very well. The instructor kept asking them if they had driven before? Neither has ever driven a car, he proceeded to ask where they learned everything from? The girls were kind enough to praise all my yelling in the car telling them to pay attention to what's going on around them while I'm driving, look where you want to go and all the "constructive" criticism I have of other dip$hits on the road! All in all I"m very happy, all my butterflies are gone and the girls were happy with there instructor and the way he was teaching them. Now lets go car shopping!!!!

[Stephen06GT]

Last week when Celeste and I were in the Soo I took her to a couple private parking lots, (thanks SVOMACH1) and let her try her hand at driving. We used my mom's Kia. The first session was just doing some low speed figure 8s to get her use to how a car actually drives. She graduated to a larger lot where we practiced lane discipline, reversing and s-turns. She did very well.