Drivers Education in Indiana
To get a driver’s license in the state of Indiana, you have to complete an Indiana drivers education program. This process is necessary for a number of reasons. It helps new drivers ease into the routine of driving and gives them more time to practice under supervision. It also drums in a sense of responsibility in these drivers towards other motorists, and helps create a safer driving environment for everyone.
By law, every high school in Indiana is required to offer drivers education courses for students to take and begin their driving skills. These courses teach a state approved Indiana drivers’ education curriculum and are split into two components. You can sign up for them if you are at least 14 years and six months old. The first component involves classroom-based learning, which covers the basics of road safety, defensive driving, and drug and alcohol safety. In addition to this, you will receive some learning in road laws specific to Indiana and the penalties for violating them. Spread over several weeks, the total time for this particular component must meet 30 hours as mandated by the state.
The Indiana drivers education also requires practical training behind the wheel of a car. You will spend a total of six hours in a car, most of which will be behind the wheel under the supervision of a certified teacher. You will complete basic maneuvers in parking and reversing a car, and learn how to drive in traffic and make appropriate lane changes. The purpose of this training is to ease you in to driving and operating a vehicle. But your training does not end here. With these basic requirements complete, you can move on to an intermediate license and begin driving slightly more independently, but still under supervision. These intermediate licenses reinforce a sense of responsibility by requiring you to maintain a clean record while practicing driving extensively. Eventually, after sufficient practice and after meeting the requisite age requirements, you will become eligible for a full license.