The number of states allowing drivers ed students to complete their "classroom" hours online has only continued to increase over the years. While every student is different, online drivers ed is the best option for most. Taking online drivers ed has many advantages such as:
- Convenience - Being able to take drivers ed anytime and from anywhere is a huge advantage to taking drivers ed online. No need to be in a certain classroom at a certain time. Learn when it's convenient for you.
- Increased information retention - Sitting in a classroom listening to lectures is not the best way to retain driving laws, rules, techniques, and safety tips. Online drivers ed is interactive with games, videos, animations, graphics, and more. This helps students pass their written exam on the first try.
- Parent resources and progress tracking - Many online drivers ed courses have resources for parents, along with the ability to track your teens progress.
- Cost efficient - Typically, online drivers ed courses are cheaper than classroom based courses run by local driving schools.
There are many advantages to taking an online drivers education course, but the bottom line is it helps students learn the information better while also being more convenient. While some students may learn better in a classroom with a physical instructor to ask questions to, most teens much prefer the freedom and flexibility of online drivers ed.
Quick List Of The Top 7 Best Online Drivers Ed Courses
What to consider when picking an online drivers ed course in 2023
Our criteria for identifying high quality online drivers ed courses is pretty strict. The things that teens learn today will help them become safe (or unsafe) drivers for the rest of their lives. It is crucial that good habits are formed early, so going with a low quality online drivers ed course that doesn't teach the student much is not ideal.
So what criteria exactly should we be looking for in an online drivers ed course? Well, like we said, they need to meet very high standards if we can trust them, and here they are:
1. Experienced reviewers - For starters, I am personally the in-house online drivers ed reviewer here at DrivingTips.com. The reason I am the chosen one for this position is because I have created online driver training programs myself. I have personally gone through each of these courses to determine their quality. I've also tested things such as calling their customer service numbers, requesting refunds, etc.
2. Enrollment: Good drivers ed courses are those that have constantly had a high number of people enrolling and graduating over the years. If very few students are enrolling in a course, it's a good sign they may not be the highest quality. On the other hand, courses that have had millions of students graduate must be doing something right.
3. Reputation: Being a reputable online course is absolutely essential. Here you want to be sure that they have many positive reviews, and these can come from a range of platforms, whether they are online forums, yelp, review websites or scam website checkers. We also check their Better Business Bureau records to make sure they have at least an A rating.
4. State certifications: Many online drivers ed courses trick people into signing up for a course that is state certified. All of the courses listed below will verify your eligibility.
And quite frankly, these reviews and ratings are based a lot on my personal opinion of the course as a driving instructor. My advice is to check them all out and decide for yourself which one looks best.
Are online drivers ed courses better than what you can get in a classroom?
Online drivers ed courses offer an interactive way of learning about driving. The level of interaction you can get is thanks to the very visual and varied format an online course can take on. It's not simply a lecture or plain text, but online courses are able to incorporate interactive quizzes, photos, animations and more to engage a student. It's a way of learning that goes beyond the limited capacity or resources of the traditional classroom, which may be limited to lectures, textbooks and workbooks, which aren't as engaging or visual for young students trying to learn about driving.We've already briefly touched upon comparing an online course with a classroom, but let's take a look at this further. First things first, it's worth acknowledging that every student is different and each have different learning preferences. For example, some may prefer having a one-on-one lesson with a driving instructor. But if questions come up related to driving, students can easily ask their parents. Let's not forget that most parents are actually quite qualified when it comes to knowing about driving, with their decade or two (or more) of experience. Parents will find that online courses offer parent specific resources that can help you help your child get a grasp of drivers ed and learn what they need to become a safe driver.
Also, online drivers ed courses have the advantage of personalizing the learning experience and allowing students to grasp concepts at their own pace. For instance, if there's something that you don't pick up on or don't understand initially, then you can easily go back and revisit parts of the course. So, in short, online courses are really an effective way to teach drivers ed - and as we're seeing their increasing popularity, we can tell that it's becoming the preferred way for many students and their parents.
My reviews of the top 7 best online drivers ed courses
We can go on and on about the benefits of online drivers ed courses, but now that you've got the gist of it, let's see what the best online drivers ed courses are. I of course haven't reviewed every online drivers ed course out there, but I did review the biggest ones with the best reputations. I have listed these courses in order of my favorite down, but any of these courses are higher quality and will take care of your requirements as long as the course is certified in your state.
1. Aceable (TOP RECOMMENDATION)
Approved in the following states: CA, FL, GA, NV, OH, OK, PA, TX, & IL
Aceable is, without a doubt, the absolute best online drivers ed course in America right now. If you are lucky enough to have this course approved in your state, this is easily my top recommendation and I strongly urge you to check them out. Aceable is actually the least experienced of all the other online drivers ed courses on this list as they just launched in 2016. So why would I recommend them over the more experienced schools?
The fact Aceable is new is actually the big advantage that they have over the rest. They just built their course from the ground up, making Aceable the most modern online drivers ed course on the market. For example, they are the only online drivers ed course that actually has a dedicated app for your phone or tablet. This means Aceable works better than any other course on mobile devices.
Aceable also has the most advanced content delivery platform. You'll learn through reading tet, watching videos, animations, graphics, and even playing interactive games. Their awesome animated mascot, Acea, will guide you through the entire process. Heck, just check out this video below from the Aceable course. If you're on a mobile device, be sure to look around. If you're on a PC or laptop, user your mouse to look around as Ace teaches you how to parallel park.
Pretty cool, right?! And that's just a little taste. There is simply no other online drivers ed course that does this kind of thing besides Aceable. They are years beyond any other competitor. If I had to sign up for an online drivers ed course today, this would be the one without any question.
2. iDriveSafely Teen Driver Course Review
Approved in the following states: CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, KY, NV, OK, TX, PA, & VA.
iDriveSafely is a very reputable online drivers ed course which has been around for more than 20 years. During this time, they've had high enrollment rates, and altogether, so far they've had more than 5 million students graduate from their online course. You'll also find that many good things have been said about iDriveSafely with positive reviews on online forums and review websites. They also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
iDriveSafely comes with fun interactive games, videos and animations that are designed to make it an engaging and interesting experience for students. iDriveSafely works well on mobile devices and you can switch between devices anytime. I really enjoyed the cast of characters that bring students through the course material. iDriveSafely develops a pretty good story line and makes it fun to progress through with the animated guides such as the car air freshener and the hula girl on the dashboard.
Apart from having valuable student resources, this online course also offers resources for parents, and offers a separate parent guide. This guide helps parents with providing driving lessons, preparing their teen to take the exams at the DMV, information about graduated drivers licenses, and the process to obtain a permit and license.
And finally, iDriveSafely also offers high quality US based customer support in case you run into any issues along the way. For the most part, iDriveSafely has everything going for it. You can't go wrong with this course.
Approved in the following states: CA, FL, GA, IN, KY, & NV
Improv Traffic School initially only offered an online traffic school, but has gone on to extend it to include drivers ed courses. What's so great about the set up and design is that they've found a way to make it a fun learning experience through humor. They call their learning style "edutainment". Check out the video below to get a bit of an idea of the humor they use.
This program was started by the nationwide chain of Improv Comedy Clubs. They knew how boring typical drivers education is, so they set out to make a course that was fun and engaging through comedy. With their online drivers ed course, you'll be learning all the essentials when it comes to drivers ed, but in a way that engages you and keeps you entertained. However, not all states have access to the Improv Traffic School drivers ed course. So for the lucky few who do have access to the school, it's certainly a worthwhile option to consider for an online drivers ed course.
This is another very experienced online drivers ed course. Improv Traffic School has served millions of students and they've been around for more than 20 years. They actually started before internet courses were available by sending people workbooks through the mail, but now it is all done online.
So if you're looking for a comedy based approach, give Improv Traffic School a try. In most states, you can start taking the course for free without providing any payment information.
4. DriversEd.com Review
Approved in the following states: AL, AK, CA, CO, DE, FL, ID, MI, MO, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, TN, TX, VA, WA, & WI
DriversEd.com not only has been around for a good number of years, but it was actually among the first online drivers ed courses to be available. That's not it's only claim to fame. With its latest upgrade, the course now has animations and videos that come in a 3D type format. My favorite feature for this course are the 3D animated driving simulations where driving hazards are presented and students must make the correct decisions. They also have students learn some of the more boring information, such as memorizing the colors for road signs, through the use of games. This really helps to increase student retention rates. Check out the quick video demo below.
DriversEd.com also gets an A + rating from Better Business Bureau and has other positive reviews such as on Yelp, Reddit, and TrustPilot. Since they have been around since the lat 1990's, this is another online drivers ed course that has had millions of students served.
I also found that DriversEd.com offered above average customer support. Their customer service office is located in Carlsbad, California and I tested their phone, email, and chat support. All of them left me feeling like they have competent reps that know how to resolve issues.
I tested DriversEd.com from my iPhone 11 and while there are some parts of the course that load a bit slow, it has definitely been optimized to work on mobile devices. That makes this a good course for students on the go.
5. Teen Driving Course Review
Approved in the following states: CA, CO, NV, OK, PA, TX, IN, & FL
Teen Driving Course Online has recently been updated, and as a result, it's now one of the best online drivers ed courses on the market. This one may be a better option if you are looking for an online drivers ed course that is affordable but still good. In most states, Teen Driving Course guarantees that they are the cheapest online drivers ed program. If you find one at a cheaper price, they will match or beat it.
In terms of its course, some may say that the ones I've mentioned above are better because this one is not as interactive as the others. Having said that though, this course is on this list not just for its price. It has a good reputation with a stellar Better Business Bureau rating of A + and many years of experience (at least 15). The company also has other notable features such as its money back guarantee, so they stand behind their product.
In the latest update, Teen Driving Course has vastly improved the mobile usability experience. While they do not have a dedicated app, this is one of the better online drivers ed courses for those who want to use a phone or tablet. All in all this is a great well rounded course that you should consider.
6. Drivers Ed To Go Review
Approved in the following states: CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, NV, NM, OH, OK, TX, VA, & WI
Driver Ed To Go is another good option when it comes to affordability. They also have over 10 years experience and an excellent record with an A + Better Business Bureau rating. You shouldn't be expecting anything as great as say iDriveSafely, but the course still comes with videos, animations and photos. The key thing about this online course is that it's offered at a low price, and is probably one of the cheapest you can find on the internet.
Fortunately, even though Driver Ed To Go is cheap, they did just redo their entire course about a year ago. They added some really great new features like interactive videos that teach you the different parts of a car, how to parallel park, etc. They also updated their videos and written information to be more up to date. So not only is Driver Ed To Go cheap, it's actually one of the most updated courses on the market.
Beware that this course does have some upgrades available. I wouldn't call them "hidden charges" as they ask you upfront if you want these upgrades, but the base price does not include things like audio read along features that are included automatically with other courses. However, they provide adequate customer service and with more than 4 million students having graduated they must be doing some things right! Check out the video below for a quick sneak peak into their course:
7. Safe2Drive Online Drivers Ed Review
Approved in the following states: CA, FL, GA, IA, NV, OH, PA, & TX
Last but certainly not least is Safe2Drive. This is yet another online drivers ed school that has been around for a couple of decades. One great thing about Safe2Drive is that you can start the course for free without any payment information at all. This makes it truly zero risk. If you don't like it, just stop taking the course. No need to ask for a refund. But even after you pay, they still offer a money back guarantee.
Safe2Drive is a little more text-heavy than some of the other courses on this list, but many students actually prefer that. If you don't want to learn by watching videos and playing games, but prefer a more traditional text-based approach, this is a good online drivers ed program to consider.
Safe2Drive has above average customer support with extended customer service hours 7 days per week. When I called their customer service number I had a very short wait time before I was connected with a live person. Check out the video below for an example of their cousre content.
So there you have it, a list of some very good options for online drivers ed courses. Of course, this list is by no means comprehensive - because there are obviously hundreds more courses out there - but it's supposed to be a list of some of the top quality courses on offer. As you can see from the reviews for yourself, the online drivers ed courses mentioned differ in various aspects. Some may be more better options for their interactive quality, and others for their low price.
But either way, from this list you can rest assured that they are legitimate and trustworthy companies offering drivers education courses online. They all have a solid A + Better Business Bureau rating which makes them reputable, as well as having many years experience (10 plus years). What's more, each of these online drivers ed courses come with money back guarantees, which means that they are confident you'll be getting the experience you sign up for - and if you don't, well then, you've got their money back guarantee.
How you use an online drivers ed course?
The role of an online drivers ed course depends on what state you're living in and the requirements it has. Sometimes its application may be limited and you can only use it to study for your driving permit. But in other states, the role of online drivers ed courses is more prominent - and that's what we said in the beginning, that more states are starting to approve these courses for wider application. In such states, the online drivers ed courses is actually a full substitute to learning the course in the classroom. As a result, the online course is a process that takes months because it serves as your complete drivers education, and with it, you will meet the drivers ed requirements of the state. To find out whether your state permits the online drivers ed courses and the specific process involved, you can go to the website of the online courses we have listed and select your state.