Page 23 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – January 2021

AAA Ohio to Open a Teen Driving
School This Summer
Starting this summer, AAA Ohio Auto Club will open a driving school for teenagers at its headquarters in Worthington, Ohio.
AAA recognizes that the most critical point of one’s driving career is the learning-to-drive process. Inexperience makes new teen drivers the riskiest age group on the road and leads to far too many injuries and deaths.
A quality driver education program, taught by trained professionals, can help teens learn the rules of the road and gain the meaningful experience they need to safely operate a vehicle. It also
can guide parents and caregivers through the learning-to-drive process.
AAA’s rich history in driver education and well- renowned status as a leader of safety, security and peace of mind led to AAA Ohio Auto Club’s decision to expand its driver education and training options.
“As part of its mission for safety advocacy, AAA remains committed to delivering trusted driver training and education,” said David McMullen, president and CEO of AAA Ohio Auto Club. “We’re excited to offer AAA’s well-established training curriculum and expertise to young drivers so they may learn smart driving skills from the start.”
AAA Ohio Auto Club already offers several driver education programs for teens and mature drivers utilizing a nationally recognized AAA curriculum. These include:
Mature Operator Course: A state-approved review of safe driving practices for drivers 60+ years old with a certified instructor. For upcoming courses, visit AAA.com/MatureOperator.
Roadwise Driver Online: An online driver improvement course for drivers ages 60+. This utilizes the same curriculum as the Mature Operator Course but is
not state-approved. For more information, visit Ohio.AAADriverProgram.com.
How to Drive Online: Launched in January 2020, this online driver education course fulfills the 24 hours of classroom education the state requires for teens to obtain a driver’s license. Those who take this course still need to complete the state-required eight hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed driving instructor to obtain a license. For more information, visit AAA.com/HowtoDrive.
By Kimberly Schwind
StartSmart Parent Program: The StartSmart Online Parent Session and StartSmart email newsletters are both designed to help parents teach their teens to drive safely and work together with their teen to reduce risk. For more information, click the StartSmart link on AAA.com/DriverTraining.
In addition, AAA Ohio Auto Club approves and promotes driving schools throughout its territory that meet strict quality standards through its Approved Driving School Network. AAA members save 10% at any AAA Approved Driving School.
AAA members also will receive a substantial discount and a free teen associate membership through the new AAA Driver Education program for novice teen drivers. Look for pricing and details to come.
“We’re excited to add novice driver education and training to our robust list of educational services, helping to ensure teens receive the proper education and training needed to become safe drivers,” said Kellie O’Riordan, traffic safety program manager and future lead instructor for the new program at AAA Ohio Auto Club.
STAY INFORMED
To receive additional information on AAA Driver Education, including notification when registration opens for 2021 teen driver courses, please email DriverEducation@aaaohio.com.
JANUARY 2021 | 21
Kimberly Schwind is the Senior Public Affairs Manager for AAA Ohio.