South Dakota Drivers Education
Although not compulsory, South Dakota drivers education classes should still be considered by every license applicant. Taking a drivers education program will prepare you for the permit exam, make you a safer driver and qualify you for the insurance discount.
Graduated Drivers License
Drivers education classes are commonly associated with the graduated drivers license system. The GD system is a set of requirements presented before teenage drivers, the requirements that help to ensure the safety of the driver and those around him. Although the South Dakota GDL law does not force you into taking a drivers ed class, it does encourage teens to participate in drivers education classes by reducing the holding period for the learners permit from 180 to 90 days.
Why Take Driver Ed
The question you should rather be asking yourself is why not take drivers education. Some people get put off by the price of the class - in some schools, it can go as high as a few hundred dollars. Others think of it as a waste of their time. All these people are wrong and this is why.
First of all, taking a drivers education program is the best way for you to prepare for your permit knowledge exam. You should know that before you will be issues with a permit or a license, the DPS requires you to prove that you know the driving law. Of course, you can grab a free drivers ed book which is provided by the state, study it and take a few permit practice tests to polish it off, however, this type of education does not match the real life sessions with an instructor.
Another common misconception is that taking drivers ed cost too much. In fact, taking a South Dakota driver ed class will save you more money than you spend on the class itself. Statistics show that drivers ed graduates usually drive safer than those who did not complete the class and that is what the insurance companies go by. You can check on the amount of the insurance discount you can receive from your agent, but it's usually around 10-15%, more than enough to compensate you the costs of the class.
Finally, the reason why anyone who's under 16 should find the class beneficial. If you are applying for the drivers license at this age, you must hold your learners permit for at least 180 days before you can schedule the road test. Taking a driver ed class allows you to reduce this holding period to just 90 days.
Drivers Ed Classes
The drivers education classes are usually offered in high schools and local driving schools. You should start with the high school as it is usually cheaper than going to a commercial drivers education school.
