Taking a DMV online drivers ed course is a great way to complete the “classroom” portion of your drivers education requirements. In many states, you can take your drivers ed course online, but you must take one that is state approved and certified by the DMV. As a certified driving instructor, I have a lot of experience with online drivers ed courses, so I thought I would share my top recommendations for the best DMV online drivers ed courses.
My Top Recommended DMV Online Drivers Ed Course
My first choice for online drivers ed is one of the original state approved online courses which is DriversEd.com. This online drivers ed course is not approved in every state, but it is approved in most of them. You can click here to see if you’re eligible to take this course in your state.
The main reason I recommend DriversEd.com is because they constantly update their course. Many other online drivers ed courses, even those approved by the DMV, will initially create a course and then it doesn’t get changed again for years, if ever! There are many very outdated drivers ed courses online, but this is not one of them. They also provide top notch 24/7/365 customer support via phone, chat, and email.
And finally, they run their own behind-the-wheel training to help you save even more money. If they don’t have behind-the-wheel training in your area, they will help you find a good company to go with. All in all, if I had a teen signing up for online drivers ed, this is who I would go with.
My Second Choice For DMV Approved Online Drivers Ed
I not only review online drivers ed courses, but I also review online traffic schools. One of the online traffic schools that I consistently rank on top is the iDriveSafely online traffic school course.
Fortunately, they also offer a teen driving course which can be found here. If you are over the age of 18, you can also enroll in their online adult drivers ed course here. Like DriversEd.com, this drivers ed course has been around for well over a decade.
It is one of the most popular DMV online drivers ed courses and is approved in almost every state where the DMV allows drivers ed to be taken online. They have an A+ BBB rating, 24/7/365 customer support via live chat, phone, or email, and have a great online reputation. For those who are interested, I created a much more detailed review of this online drivers ed course here.
My Third Choice For DMV Approved Online Drivers Ed
Even though I’m listing this one third, it is actually one of my personal favorite DMV approved online drivers ed courses. The Improv Comedy Drivers Ed course has a very unique approach to online drivers education.
A bunch of Hollywood comedians from the nationwide Improv Comedy Club chain created online traffic school courses that were actually very enjoyable due to the humor used throughout the course. They applied that same technique and created what is probably the funniest and most entertaining DMV approved teen drivers education course. They coined the term “edutainment” and take an entertainment approach to learning.
This drivers ed course also have a fantastic reputation and offer the same 24/7 level support my first two recommendations do. The only real issue with this drivers ed course is that the comedy used is a “slapstick” style comedy. Many teens who take this course might find it to be unfunny and just plain stupid. So, having a very good sense of humor is a must.
I’ve gotta say, I personally found the course to be quite funny and I think the retention rate is better with this course due to the entertaining nature.
My Fourth And Final Pick For DMV Approved Online Drivers Ed
My final recommendation is for those of you who only care about getting your online drivers ed course done as cheap and quick as possible, while still taking a course that is approved by the DMV. The TeenDrivingCourse.com online drivers ed program is what you’re looking for.
This online drivers ed course is approved by more state DMV’s than any other drivers ed course online, so chances are pretty darn good they will be approved in your state. They also guarantee to be the lowest priced state certified DMV online drivers ed course you’ll find, or they will match whatever better price you find.
There are some slight drawbacks to their lower price, however, including a less friendly customer support system, a slightly outdated course, and a few other things that could use improvements. However, they are approved by DMV’s in most states and they do supply a good quality course for the price, so for those on a budget, this is a great way to go.
Is it Better to Take Driver’s Education Online?
I’m not here to say that taking the course in an in-person classroom setup is not recommended. But I’d prefer to take this course online if I were you. Why? They are very convenient to take and I have more options to choose from. It’s not a secret that these courses cost a lot less than the traditional driver’s education programs, too.
Since there are no standard regulations for driver’s education nationwide, it may be a bit difficult to find the right resources in determining whether an in-person or online driver’s education is a better choice for your teen.
So instead of deciding which option is better, let’s look at the pros and cons of both in-person and online driver’s education.
In-Person Classes
The best advantage in an in-person class is that students will have a face-to-face interaction with a classroom instructor and co-students. If they have a question, they can simply raise their hand, ask the question, and get an answer in real-time.
The discussion can be further elaborated until the concept being introduced is clear. And other students can even share their opinion regarding the topic – it encourages a participative type of learning environment.
But here’s the deal – each student learns in a specific way and not everyone is comfortable joining the discussion. Slow learners may also find it hard to catch up with others. And usually, they are too shy to admit that they are being left behind. So if we look at it from their perspective, in-person classes may not be that advantageous in that respect after all.
In addition, these class schedules are often predetermined so students have no control over when they can take the course. Some states do not offer a free driver’s education as part of their high school curriculum as well. So for students who need to take it, they’ll need to enroll in a private driving school course, which can be very expensive.
Online Drivers Ed
On the other hand, although interaction between students and instructors is somewhat limited in an online driver’s education setup, it can be great for some. Students who are easily distracted by other students, are self-motivated, and are slow learners, may find it easier to focus on the lesson when they are given the time to complete the course on their own, and at their own preferred schedules.
Online courses do not only offer convenience in terms of scheduling, students can also access the course through different devices – laptops or mobile phones, and tablets.
They are even given a variety of course formats to choose from – they can opt for a course with high entertainment value such as the ones offered by Improv Online Driver’s Ed, or a pure text course that can be completed quickly.
What’s more, these courses are a lot cheaper than in-person classes. And some schools even offer the “Study Now, Pay Later” scheme or a Money-Back Guarantee. You don’t have to spend a penny even if you ended up not wanting to complete the course they signed up for (just make sure to read the terms and conditions to know how and when can you be issued a refund).
Some Final Thoughts
Most online drivers education courses that are approved by the DMV will adequately prepare the majority of drivers ed students to pass their written exams and learn about safe driving habits. The reason I don’t like promoting the really cheap online drivers ed courses is because, as a driving instructor, I believe online drivers ed is crucial to saving lives.
The things teens learn now will stick with them throughout their life. Bad habits learned now will stay with them, and so will the good habits. Since the #1 cause of accidental death for all age groups is car crashes, I think spending an extra $10 or $20 on a high quality course is well worth the cost.
Have you signed up for an online drivers ed course that you are happy or dissatisfied with? Let us know about your experiences in the comment section below so that others can make an educated decision on which state approved DMV online drivers ed course is best.
I truly hope this helped with your decision on which online drivers ed course to take. Good luck and as always, drives safely!!