A large part of learning to drive safely is defensive driving, the goal of which is to reduce the risk of driving by anticipating hazardous dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions or the mistakes of other roadway users.  Georgia teenagers are required by Joshua’s law to complete 30 hours of Drivers Ed plus an additional 40 hours of supervised driving practices in order to qualify for their Class D drivers license, and with good reason. Having an effective drivers ed that focuses on defensive driving techniques and practical knowledge on safe driving practices on their side means teens are able to learn superior driving skills, structured around proven defensive driving techniques, with a main focus on changing driver attitudes to reduce traffic collisions caused by human error. This is why our defensive driving course is of paramount importance.

Defensive Drivers’ education has a dual role: teaching people how to drive and teaching people safe driving practices and getting (motivating) them to apply these practices in a habitual manner. Safe driving skills involve higher order cognitive skills (perception, recognition, decision making, task initiation, and vigilance) which result in safe driving practices and safe interactions with the traffic environment. Safe driving practices include search, communication, speed and space management such as keeping the three-second rule, risk management, and preparing to drive.

These skills are lifesaving skills everyone should have. Taking a drivers ed course helps teens develop these skills early in their lives, which they can then put to practice during their supervised driving hours. If there isn’t time for teens or their parents to make it to an in-person class, our online driver safety course is ideal for learning defensive driving skills to prepare then for the required Georgia driver’s written and behind the wheel driving test.

Since Joshua’s Law was passed, it’s been the goal of the state of Georgia to to slowly introduce driving to novice drivers by providing them the opportunity to practice driving  and develop skills under low-risk environment. As the novice drivers become more experienced and competent, they are allowed to drive in increasingly difficult situations. This program of an incremental increase to novice drivers privileges have been shown to reduce vehicle crashes, injuries and death among the novice teen drivers. Parents play a key role in this program, helping to ease the teenagers into safe driving practices. A big part of that goal is increasing the exposure to defensive driving lessons, which can be taught in person or can be done at their own pace, place and time through our online Drivers Ed course. Moreover,research has shown that  “interactive computer-based instruction is a much more effective and efficient way of learning  basic driving skills and knowledge in driver’s education.”