State-certified driving schools save lives!
As a parent, helping your teen learn to drive is a big milestone – but it’s also a major responsibility. Georgia officials are warning families to be cautious when choosing a driving school. Uncertified programs may claim to offer legitimate training, but they could leave your teen without the credentials they need and expose them to serious safety risks.
When it comes to learning how to drive, WHERE your teen learns matters. A certified driving school ensures that it is following strict Georgia DDS regulations to a tee.
Not all driving schools are equal
When it’s time to choose a driving school for your new teen driver, it’s critical to choose one that’s certified by the Georgia Dept. of Driver Services (DDS). There are many driving schools in Atlanta, but not all are state certified. As a parent, make sure you choose a certified driving school for the best education and experience for your teen.
Certified driving schools follow strict standards
Drive Smart Georgia is among the driving schools certified by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) – a process that requires meeting strict standards, including:
- Background checks for instructors
- Drug screening
- Insurance coverage for vehicles
- State-approved training programs
Steve Jones, the owner of Drive Smart Georgia with locations in Johns Creek, Milton, Cumming, and Alpharetta states:
It’s a very rigorous process to become state certified. It’s even harder to remain certified. We don’t cut corners and strictly follow all Georgia DDS regulations. In addition to being certified, we also truly care about our students and want them to become lifelong safe drivers. Unfortunately, not every driving school follows those rules.
This is why Drive Smart Georgia is the only driving school in Georgia that is endorsed by Alan Brown, a teen driver champion and the founder of Joshua’s Law that saves approximately 15,000 young lives per year.
Drive Smart Georgia is also recommended by AAA, the nation’s leading authority on automobile safety.
How DDS Protects Students
DDS investigators regularly monitor driving schools and follow up on complaints about uncertified programs. When schools ignore warnings, the agency can report them to the Attorney General’s Office for consumer protection violations.
The agency also encourages students and parents to ask questions before signing up.
In addition, choosing an uncertified school could mean losing hundreds of dollars and having to start all over. Plus, uncertified programs are not just a financial risk – they’re a safety risk.
For more information and a full list of DDS-certified driving programs, visit the Georgia Department of Driver Services website, scroll down, and click on “Certified driver training schools.”
For even more answers to your questions, be sure to visit our online HELP CENTER and type your question into the search bar.
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Related articles:
- What is a Georgia Driver’s Ed scholarship?
- What to expect during Driver’s Ed classes
- Defensive driving is now available at Drive Smart Georgia
