Massachusetts Drivers Ed
Those who are just thinking of applying for a drivers license are plagued with questions about Massachusetts drivers education classes. Do I need to take a Mass drivers ed course or a per-licensing class if I am over 18 years of age? Do I take my Massachusetts driver's education program before I apply for a permit or a drivers license? How much does a regular MA drivers education program cost? Will my drivers ed class include a practice test or to I need to look up some permit practice test MA questions on my own? Don't worry, we will answer all these questions for you so you can choose the best drivers ed MA program there is and get your driver license in no time!
Massachusetts Graduated Drivers License
Two questions we hear very often are "do I have to take a Massachusetts drivers education class" and "why do I have to take one of the MA drivers ed courses". The answer to both of them is very simple: you do have to take the class if you are under 18 years of age and the reason why you have to do it is because it is part of the Massachusetts graduated drivers license program. The graduated drivers license system is a set of laws that targets teenagers and employs a number of techniques to increase their traffic awareness. The system features compulsory Massachusetts drivers education classes, behind the wheel training and even specialized training for the instructing parents. The goal of having all these additional classes and restrictions in place is to reduce crash rates among teen drivers, since they have the highest crash rates among all age groups.
Massachusetts Learners Permit
The minimum age for obtaining a Massachusetts learners permit is 16. If you are under 18, you must enroll in one of the MA driver's education classes before you go ahead and take your Massachusetts permit test at one of the local RMV offices. The good news is that drivers education classes cover everything you need to know to pass your permit test, so you really don't need to worry about looking for any additional study aids or guides if you paid attention at the class.
If you are over 18 and are not going to enroll in a Massachusetts drivers ed program (we know, the price of one of those classes scares quite a few people away), you will need to put an extra effort into preparing for the learners permit test. Of course, most people want to spend as little time as possible on studying, but it really does not work like that with learning the rules of the road. Memorizing the rules and learning to apply them takes time and practice, this is why most of Mass drivers education classes consist of at least 30 hours of classroom time and additional in car hours with a professional driving instructor, so this is the time investment you are looking at even if you will be studying on your own. We advise that you start by reading the official Mass drivers manual, since it covers everything you need to know for your permit test (mind you, it not as extensive as MA drivers education classes are and you will miss out on defensive driving techniques taught at the class). Take notes as you go through the course, don't just skip through pages. Once done with the handbook, go ahead and test yourself with some permit practice test MA questions to see if you missed anything. Don't settle for just one test, you can also take a free Mass RMV practice test or a Massachusetts drivers license practice test. Go ahead and cover as many study questions as possible before you visit a local RMV office for your learners permit test.
Drivers Education Curriculum
Massachusetts drivers education classes offer a comprehensive program that covers all aspects of driving. Every program has the following features:
- 30 hours of classroom lessons
- 12 hours of behind the wheel practice
- 6 hours of on-road observation
A recent change in the GDL laws also requires parents to be present during at least 2 hours of driving instruction. This makes perfect sense, because once you are done with your Mass driver's ed program, you are also required to complete at least 40 hours of supervised driving with your parents before you can take your Massachusetts driving test and the parent must know how to conduct those lessons.
Taking an advanced MA drivers training program can help you shave 10 hours off the supervised driving period.
Drivers Ed Classes
The classes are offered both by high schools and commercial driving schools. You may start by checking whether your local school offers this type of instruction. If your high school does not offer drivers education lessons, you can look up the commercial driving schools in the yellow pages.
Another benefit of taking the driver's ed class is the insurance reduction you will be eligible for. Most of the insurance companies offer a 10% discount to the Massachusetts drivers license holders who have completed a drivers ed program within the last 3 years.
