(You’ll need Shockwave to play.)

This drivers ed game is courtesy of DriversEd.com – you’ll get 15% off their online course fee if you win – but even if you don’t, we’ve got you covered:

Click here to get 10% off & try out 20% of any course for free!

You’ll need these to pass:

• Practice
• A working knowledge of your state’s traffic laws
• Confidence

All of these come with time; before anything else, make sure to get yourself enough driving experience so that things like parking, turns, and intersection procedures become second nature. Knowing when to yield and when to take the right-of-way is especially important. Once you feel calm behind the wheel, you’re halfway there.

In the days leading up to your test, check the signals and lights of the car you plan to drive to ensure everything’s in proper working order – so they’ll let you even take the examination. If it’s not the same vehicle you did most of your practice in, take it out for a few spins until you’re absolutely comfortable driving it, since each car maneuvers a little differently.

Whatever “unique” habits you may have picked up as a driver: lose them! We mean stuff like making lazy turns, driving one-handed, not coming to a complete stops at stop signs, etc. Road safety is always important – never more so than on your exam day. You’ll want to drive as cautiously as if you were the DMV manual itself, so follow these tips to a T:

• Drive slightly under the speed limit (gives you more time to react to instructions)
• Brake and accelerate gently
• Keep a lookout for and obey ALL signs
• Signal all turns & lane changes at the right time
• Use your mirrors frequently (much more than normal, even if you feel silly)
• Always turn to check your blind spot when changing lanes (important!)
• Follow at a safe distance
• Never answer your cell phone while driving!

These are the main things that your examiner will be watching for, so take your road test with the objective of showing him/her what a safe, vigilant driver you are. Even if you make a small mistake or two – which you probably will, and most everyone does – don’t let it faze you.

Here’s another trick: it might help to pretend that the examiner is a (strict, overly demanding.. middle-aged? balding?) friend who’s giving you directions to a party. Whatever works! If, despite everything, you find you’re second-guessing yourself on test day and wish you’d practiced more, just trust yourself and know that your skills will stand up against the nerves. Good luck – freedom awaits!
 

Want to try out your skills right now? Give Drivers Ed: The Game a whirl to get an idea of what your examiner might ask you to do! And stay tuned for more tips..

In case you weren’t too sure, parallel parking is a method of parking where you’re in line with the curb, in a straight line with other cars in front of and behind you.  This is most commonly used in large cities where there are too many cars and not enough parking lots.  It’s also a part of the drivers test in most states, so it’s a must-know.  Some states, like Ohio, employ a maneuverability test – which is essentially parallel parking with cones instead of other cars – so the same rules apply.

First of all, don’t be intimidated.  Like with anything else, practice is key to developing confidence and comfortability with the procedure.  That’s right; good, old-fashioned practice – not just hand-eye coordination or luck.  If you’ve tried to parallel park before and didn’t do so hot, DO NOT think you can’t do it!  Relax and give yourself as much time as you need to master the skill.  It takes a few tries, but it will get a little easier and easier with each time – soon you’ll be backing up like a pro.

Ready?  Here are the general rules for parallel parking:

1. Find a space that’s a few feet longer than your car that you feel confident about parking inside.

 

2. Signal and drive up so that you are a 2-3 feet next to the car you want to park behind, and align your car’s rear bumper with the other one’s.

 

3. Check your mirrors and look over your shoulder to ensure that there are no vehicles behind you, then step on the brake and put the car in reverse.

 

4. Gently let up on the brake.  Turn your steering wheel all the way in the direction of the curb as soon as your car starts to move backwards, so that your bumper is angled towards the curb as you drive back.  (Go slow; if you feel like you’re not at the right angle or you’ve hit the curb, just drive forward and start over.)

 

5. Once the back of your car is mostly in the space, turn the steering wheel to the left in order to straighten out your car’s wheels. 

 

6. Center yourself in the parking space so that you’re parallel and less than 12 inches to the curb.  Shift into drive and adjust your wheels if necessary.

 

Just remember that these aren’t hard and fast rules – for instance, parking behind only one car will be much simpler since you don’t have to worry about bumping the second car.  Stuff like how sharply you have to turn your steering wheel will vary based on the type of vehicle you’re driving, since each car maneuvers a little differently.

But back to basics: to build your confidence, you’ll need to start slowly and work your way up.  Of course you’ll be nervous if you begin with trying to parallel park on a busy street!  Here’s how we recommend starting; once you’ve mastered one level, move on up to the next:

• Park beside an empty curb in a quiet street or parking lot.
• Park behind ONE parked car.
• Park between TWO parked cars that have plenty of space in between them.
• Park between cars that are closer together until you’re able to do it in spaces that no less than one and a half times the length of your car.

Check out this video for a great idea of how to parallel park:

This clip comes courtesy of the Rules of the Road DVD – an excellent drivers ed course video which includes many, many more helpful goodies like this one.  You can get it at Vat19.com:

Don’t forget that you can also play the online drivers ed game to get some virtual practice.  Now there’s no excuse!  Go forth and master the art of parallel parking.

What it’s great for:

Virtual drivers ed can be a more self-paced and interactive alternative to regular driving school. It lets you work at your own speed, tailored to your personal schedule. It’s usually cheaper than paying tuition at a regular driving school, and your parents save time and gas money since they don’t have to drive you to and from. But watch out: only in certain areas can you take classes online to meet the 30+ hour drivers ed requirement for teens. You’ve lucked out here if you live in: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania or Texas.

As for those of you in the other 41 states: you’re still required to do it the old fashioned way – find a driving school and sit through the required classroom time (don’t worry, it’s really not that bad!). But you can still sign up for an online course to qualify for an insurance discount or to purchase practice questions for the written test. There are even several companies that will refund your money if you don’t get your permit on the first try!

If you’re interested in lower car insurance rates (pssh, who isn’t?), taking a drivers ed class online can get you up to 10% off of your auto insurance, regardless of where you live or whether you’ve already got your drivers license. This is because some insurance companies reward drivers who take drivers education or a defensive driving course -check with your provider first to see if they can give you a special “safe driver” discount.

What it’s not-so-great for:

Even if you live in a state that lets you take drivers ed online, keep in mind that an internet-based course won’t take care of all the driving requirements you need to fulfill before you get your permit – you will still more than likely have to take several hours of actual, on-the-road drivers training as well. Depending on where you live, you can either sign up for driving instruction at a school, or have your parents teach you. Check your state’s driving manual for specifics.

Take into consideration what type of learner you are: while online drivers ed may be a more convenient and flexible alternative to traditional class, don’t think you can cut corners and skip the material! You’ll need a bit of discipline to make sure you stay focused on the work, even for just 20 minutes a day. If you’re too easily distracted by all the other cool stuff online like games, IM, and MySpace, you’ll never finish the course. If you learn better in a structured classroom environment, then this option may not be for you.

And finally.. if you do decide to take an online drivers ed course, research the company you choose to make sure they’re reputable: do a web search or check their record with the Better Business Bureau. Our recommendation is DriversEd.com, since you can complete 20% of the course of your choice for free before you buy (and get 10% off with our referral!). Good luck and safe virtual driving!

First, the type of car you drive has a direct bearing on whether you can get cheap student car insurance.  Basically: any high-performance car is going to raise insurance rates.  A sports car is a red flag to insurance companies, since sports car drivers are not exactly known for driving in the slow lane or cruising calmly along.  Expensive automobiles are pricier for your insurer to repair or to pay off if the car is totaled.  A four-door sedan with an economy engine will offer the best insurance rate – even if this isn’t exactly what most young drivers dream of.

Since young drivers tend to get into more accidents within their first two or three years of driving, you can expect to pay somewhat higher rates during this period.  But, after three years, you get a bit of a discount if you’ve kept up a good driving record.  Another thing you can do to reduce your student car insurance premium is to take a safe driving or defensive driving course soon after getting your driver’s license.  The absolute best way to lower the cost of your insurance is to avoid getting traffic tickets and to not accrue any insurance claims or accidents – so be sure to obey traffic laws!  (And as a bonus: students with good grades also get a reduced rate.)

Finally, the type of coverage you choose will have a huge effect on the price of your insurance.  The most expensive option is full coverage, which includes comprehensive and collision coverage.  Comprehensive covers windshield repair and damage to your car that’s not related to car accidents – like vandalism, theft, and incidents involving animals – and collision coverage fixes vehicle damage after an accident if you were at fault.  A cheaper option is to get liability-only insurance.  It basically just covers damage or injury that you might cause to the other driver as well as his/her vehicle and property.  (But if your car is financed, the lender will require full coverage to protect their interest until the car is paid off.)

So in a nutshell, just remember: cheap car insurance for students is out there for you so long as you keep these basics in mind.  Most importantly, always observe traffic laws and avoid high-risk driving behavior!

Finding a driving school that’s reasonably priced and close to home is important – after all, who wants to shell out mucho bucks on top of round-trip gas fare? – but remember that you’re also making a big investment towards your future and safety. With most states requiring 24-30 hours of classroom education, plus around 6 for supervised behind-the-wheel training, you’ll want the most for your time and money. So here’s a simple four-step guide we’ve put together to help you – and/or your parents – find the best drivers ed classes in your area:

Step One: Scout Your Options
First, find out what schools are nearby. Look through the yellow pages, search online, and ask friends for their recommendations. As soon as you’ve got a couple of places to check out, it’s time to start narrowing down the list.

Step Two: Weed Out the Duds
Before anything, call the schools you’re interested in and make sure they’re accredited by your state’s DMV. Check out their websites or call to ask about pricing and lesson packages – you’ll get a sense of what type of place they are from their customer service. If everything’s cool, schedule a visit. Since you’ll be spending more than a few hours there, it’s worth doing a little research to make sure that you’re going to a place you actually like and are comfortable in.

Step Three: Size ‘Em Up
Once there, survey the school – do you feel at ease there? Do they seem organized, helpful? The best school will have decent sized classes, up-to-date classrooms & student cars, and driving simulators for realistic, safe practice. The instructors should be knowledgeable and give each student plenty of one-on-one time. Ask about the class curriculum; it should teach useful driving skills like defensive driving and car maintenance, not just basics out of the DMV manual. If a school doesn’t measure up, keep it moving until you’ve found a winner.

Step Four: Negotiate the Financials
In case you’ve found the perfect school but the tuition is a bit more than you were hoping to pay, try this. Many driving schools are happy to offer a special discount or a reasonable installment plan to break up costs, so don’t be shy about asking. A good school shouldn’t be afraid to bend a little to keep a customer happy!

Simple, right? Yeah, flipping through the phone book and picking the first place your finger lands on is so much faster and easier, but it’s worth finding the right one. Driving school is a great opportunity to learn the skills that will benefit you for years to come, and what you learn there might even save your life someday. Anyway, drivers ed classes can be killer in the wrong school; wouldn’t you rather be somewhere that makes the experience more fun, interesting, and useful?

(Until then, play the drivers ed game for some pixellated road practice!)

If you’re trying to get your drivers license, we highly recommend that you check out the website of your state or province’s Department of Motor Vehicles. It’s seriously a goldmine of all the (free!) driving-related info you could ever need. There you’ll find everything from driving manuals to sample written tests, information about fees, and any and every form you might require. In many states you can even go ahead and schedule your driving test online!

So we’ve compiled a handy list of DMV websites for your convenience:

And don’t forget to check out the virtual drivers ed game!

Drivers ed games are basically games that simulate real-life driving situations, especially the more intricate tasks like parking, identifying road signs, and when to take the right-of-way at intersections and traffic lights. They are entertaining because you gain or lose points – and perhaps ultimately win the game – based on how well you do with these activities. Not to mention you can compete against your friends!

For those of you who are still under the legal driving age and are raring to get your license, these games are the perfect place to begin. You’ll get a head start on important driving knowledge before you ever hit the road or classroom. Even if you’re already enrolled in drivers ed or have got your license, playing a drivers ed game is a really fun way to brush up on your training.

The best part is that they’re totally safe – if you drive onto the sidewalk, skip a red light, or crash into another car, you’ve still got a chance to learn from your mistake without experiencing the dire consequences of the real world. Nowhere else but with a virtual game do you get the luxury of going back and starting over completely!

Keep in mind that a drivers ed game is only a supplementation to actual drivers education classes – that’s where you’ll learn your state’s laws and begin to feel comfortable being behind the wheel of an actual car. So while a game is no substitute for reality, it can help you become a more skillful and aware driver for when the time comes.

Playing a drivers ed game provides an opportunity for today’s future drivers to hone their skills in a safe, interactive environment. You have the unique privilege of being able to have fun, practice at your own computer, and gain that extra edge towards passing your drivers test – all at once! Drivers ed games are the very first step you can take towards true automotive freedom. Best news is: most of them are totally FREE! So what are you waiting for? Let’s get driving!

If you have any questions, send over an e-mail and we’ll be happy to answer it. And of course, keep checking back as we update with more info and cool driving-related stuff soon to come!