Drivers Education for Teens
Is a $400-$700 driver education course worth it for my teen?
Yes, it is worth every penny because you will
1. Prevent future accidents. Investing some resources now will help your teens avoid hurting themselves, injuring others, and damaging vehicles.
2. Recoup that cost in insurance savings over time. Ask your agent to know more specifics.
3. Get your teen a more comprehensive education than you can give. Training drivers is what these schools do. They want your teen to succeed, to be safe, and to take the responsibility seriously.
Tips from local Drivers Ed Schools:
1. Plan on scheduling three to four months in advance. This is especially true if you want the all-inclusive ODOT course.
2. ODOT or not?
- Main Advantage: Includes a final certificate of completion that allows the DMV to waive the driving test and only 50 practice hours of drive time.
- Main Disadvantage: The program is less flexible scheduling-wise, requiring 10 weeks of classroom instruction and may be hard to find because of backlog.
3. Call your insurance company to ensure the drivers ed program certificate is accepted for a discount. Some companies are pickier.
4. Don’t rush it. You may have glorious memories of getting your license the day you turned 16, but—really—age matters less than driving competence. Take the time to help your teen become a good driver first.
Contact info for our local drivers education schools:
These companies all service the Portland Metro area.
Tom’s Driving Academy at 503-648-7068 based in Hillsboro
Westside Driving School at 503-878-0100 based in Lake Oswego and Beaverton
Pacific Drivers Ed at 503-347-2713 based in Beaverton and Gresham 503-766-3567
ODEC at 503-297-4813 based in Portland and Salem
America’s Driving School at 503-244-8338 based in Tigard
1st Learn to Drive at 503-509-0870 based in Portland
PCC at 971-722-6266 at several locations
Oregon DMV Resources
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