DAYTON, OH (Jan. 9, 2020) – Amid a growing number of teens choosing to obtain their license before they turn 18, AAA is expanding its offering for driver education in a unique and accessible way with a new online course.

Authored and produced by the nation’s leading automotive safety and driving instructors, AAA’s “How to Drive Online” is the gold standard for effectively learning life-long driving skills in a convenient online format. Thousands of parents across the country have already chosen AAA’s “How to Drive Online” for their new teen driver.

 “Safe driving isn’t a skill learned overnight, or one learned purely by observation,” says Pat Brown, Supervisor of AAA Driving School. “Busy families and parents who want the best for their child find AAA’s ‘How to Drive Online’ sets the standard for effective instruction.” 

Approved by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, AAA’s “How to Drive Online” is a convenient alternative to traditional driving school that has been customized to meet the State’s requirements for online driver education. Thorough driving instruction is delivered through videos, simulations and interactive exercises. Participants can log in and out of the online course as needed and save their progress for later completion.

AAA’s “StartSmart” webinar for parents is an optional add-on. The program offers best practices to aid parents in their teen’s learning-to-drive experience.

Access to proper driver education and training is a priority for AAA. According to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than 60 percent of teens got their driver’s license before age 18. This new report reveals a changing trend with an 11 percent increase in teen licensure from when the Foundation first evaluated the issue in 2012. Additionally, teens living in the Midwest tend to be licensed at younger ages, as 70 percent of Midwest teens obtained their license before age 18.

The need for quality pre-licensing education is prevalent:

• Vehicle crashes are still the No. 1 cause of teen deaths. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
• Teenage drivers have the highest crash risk per mile traveled, compared with drivers in other age groups. Young drivers tend to overestimate their driving abilities ad underestimate the dangers on the road. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• From 2016-2018, there were 132,744 traffic crashes in Ohio involving one teen driver, about 15 percent of all crashes. An action on the part of the teen driver contributed to 71 percent of these crashes, resulting in 255 deaths and 39,476 injuries. (Ohio Traffic Safety Office)

The program not only delivers the rules of the road and essential elements of safe driving in an interactive and innovative way, it may also qualify those who complete it for auto insurance premium discounts. AAA Members receive exclusive pricing on this new online program.

AAA’s “How to Drive Online” Ohio is available at https://ohio.aaadriverprogram.com/how-to-drive to AAA Members for $79 while non-members can utilize the program for $99. The program consists of 24 hours of online driving instruction. AAA’s in-car driving lessons are available in select counties across the State.

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AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 58 million members nationwide and more than three million members in Ohio.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  AAA is a non-stock, non-profit corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For more information, visit www.AAA.com.