YOUTH
Driver’s Education with Safeway
Community Education offers teen driver’s education in cooperation with Safeway Driving School.
Classroom and behind-the-wheel lessons emphasize defensive driving techniques tailored for the
inexperienced teen driver. All of Safeway’s instructors are licensed by the Minnesota Dept. of Public
Safety.
Classroom instruction prepares the student to take the Minnesota permit test and begin the responsibility
of driving. The 30 hours of classroom is structured into 10 independent lessons. Students can take the class at age 14½ but cannot
take their permit test until age 15. After class is completed, students who are 15 years old are eligible to take their permit test at
any Minnesota exam center. The permit test is not provided during the class.
Behind-the-wheel instruction includes six hours of driving in three, two-hour private lessons. All driving is done in a Safeway car
on city streets, highways and freeways with a responsible, licensed Safeway instructor. At least 30 days of practice between lessons
is suggested. Students have one year after completing classroom to finish their behind-the-wheel lessons. Scheduling is offered
online for 24/7 convenience. All of Safeway’s cars are white with identical graphics so parents and students are confident that it is
a Safeway car picking up the student for a lesson. Students can get picked up for their behind-the-wheel lesson from home, school
or work.
Parent involvement is required to produce safe, responsible teen drivers. It is critical that parents practice regularly with their
student drivers. The state requires that students have a minimum of 50 hours of practice (15 hours at night). The practice time must
be recorded on a state-approved Supervised Driving Log and presented at the road test.
Parent Classes are offered once per quarter at either North or Tartan HS. This class is not required but qualifies the parent to
receive a certificate that allows their student reduced practice time (from 50 to 40 hours). There is no fee for the parent classes but
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