Utah Drivers Education
According to the current Utah law, every license applicant has to complete a state-approved drivers education class. Unlike in the other states, your age does not matter when it comes to taking drivers ed, even you are over 50, you will still have to take the course.
Graduated Drivers License
Drivers education classes are commonly part of the graduated drivers license law, the system that targets teenage drivers license applicant. This is also true for Utah, however, there is a certain twist that is specific only to the Utah GDL law - no matter how old you are, you still have to take a drivers education course before you can be issued with your drivers license. In our opinion, this is a good thing and most states will come to that in some time. Statistics show that people who complete a drivers education program are less likely to be involved in a traffic accident, so why not make the roads safer.
Why Take Drivers Ed
Apart from the fact that you will not be able to get your drivers license unless you complete one of the Utah drivers education programs, there are other reasons why taking a drivers education class is beneficial for you. As you probably know by now, you will have to take a written Utah permit test, the exam that covers the driving rules and road signs. The classroom portion of the drivers education class covers the same topics, which means that by taking the class, you will also be studying for the test.
If you did not sign up for a drivers education course yet, but would like to start preparing for the exam, you can download a copy of the Utah drivers handbook, give it a thorough read through and polish it off by taking a free permit test.
Another reason why you would want to take a driver's education program is the fact that many insurance companies provide a discount for those clients who recently completed a drivers education program. The sum of the discount may offset the price you pay for your driver education program in the end.
Where to Take Driver Ed
Drivers education classes come in various forms and are offered in many different places. At the moment, the programs are offered online, as home study courses or regular classes. All driving ed classes follow the same curriculum and must contain 18 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours of driving behind the wheel and 6 hours of in car observation.
If you are taking a state-approved drivers education class online, your program provider has probably partnered with a number of local driving schools that will offer you your driving lessons. You will need to check which school you can go to with the course provider.
Upgrading to Drivers License
In order to upgrade your learners permit to a license, you will need to take a road skills test. In most cases, the test is provided as part of the drivers education course by your drivers ed provider. After taking the road skills test you are issued with a temporary license, while your original Utah drivers license is mailed to you within 3-4 weeks.
