Frequently Asked Questions
(... and answers !)

Click this line for Demerit Point System questions

All schools seem to offer the same programs - 25hs in-class and 10hrs in car training.  Does this mean they are all the same?   If they are the same, why the price differences?

While this is a common and justified observation, the 25hrs + 10hrs training are simply the minimum amount of time that has to be adminstered by a "Certifiable" driver training program.   Certifiable, in this context, means that the school is a member of the Driving School Association of Ontario (DSAO) which sets the minimum criteria to be met by schools in order to qualify their graduates for an Insurance Reduction Certificate.    However, the DSAO does not stipulate the exact content of the program, or how the program itself is delivered to the students. 

If you research this matter carefully enough, you'll find programs that range from barely delivering the minimum requirements to programs that claim to produce new drivers with skills equivalent to those with several years of driving experience.  These programs would, respectively, range in price from the lowest available to exorbitantly high.  As far as most prospective new drivers are concerned, the real question should be:

"Am I willing to settle for the bare minimum?" or pehaps, you trully believe that actual driving experience can be replaced by some particular type of course delivery.  Perhaps your financial position allows you to venture into it with a "Cost is no object!  I'll pay the most and maybe get what appears to be the best!" attitude.

Bare minimum is sufficient !  <<++++++++++ []++++++++++>>   Cost is no object !

              Where do you see yourself on this scale ??

Some schools claim that their graduates are able to obtain greater insurance discounts than graduates of other training institutions.  Is this true?

No, but you have to admit that it sounds very good from a marketing point of view, doesn't it?  In Ontario, Insurance Companies will give you a graduate discount if you have taken an "approved driver training program" as set out by the MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario), the OSL (Ontario Safety League) and the DSAO (see above).  This discount will be the same, whether you are a graduate of  X Driving School or Y Driver Training, provided that both schools abide by the conditions set out by the above mentioned organizations.  .  

However, it may surprise you to know that there are driver training outfits which can legally teach you the behind-the-wheel skills but are not recognized for insurance discounts because their programs do not conform with the conditions set out above. If you consider the discounts that any approved driving school graduates would get compared to graduates of non-approved schools, then the claims made by some schools would be true.    Claims such as these, however, are carefully researched marketing strategies that rely on basic human characteristics and tendencies to work:

- We will always try to get the best we can in terms of value (such as lower insurance premiums)
- Most new driving school clients are not likely to look into insurance until they get through their programs and therefore will not ask the right questions until they become licensed to drive.

There are many variables which may make it appear that some approved program graduates get more of a break than others, but these have little to do with where one has received one's training.

If you are taking the time to read this, you are obviously interested in making an educated decision and should be careful to qualify these claims before taking them for gospel.    The best way to confirm this is to simply call up an insurance company of your choosing and give them a fictitious scenario such as the following: 

"I just got my licence and need to get insurance (Public Liability and Property Damage, the minimum insurance one must carry by law) for my car (take your pick of make and model)."

The representative that you speak with will most likely ask you if you have a "driver's ed certificate" but not "What school is it from?". The rep may also ask if you will be the principal (or second, third...etc) driver, whether or not you will drive to and from work and whether or not you would like to get Collision insurance (looks after your expenses when you are at fault in a collision) and/or Comprehensive insurance (pays for losses or damages related to fire, theft or other, non-collision related incidents)."  All of the above influence the cost of insurance, the name of the approved school does not.

If you would like to learn more about insurance coverages, premiums, discounts, etc, follow this link

Since I already have my G1 license, can I still get my certificate without attending the in-class sessions ?

No, the in-class training is mandatory in order to qualify for a certificate and also an integral component of our program.  A lot of people are under the impression that the purpose of the in-class sessions is to prepare someone to get his/her G1 license and that they only consist of teaching about the laws, sign, lines, lights, etc.   While these are  certainly included as part of the in-class curriculum, they are only a small part of it.  It is during the in-class portion of our course that you'll be able to learn and analyse in detail, all the factors which contribute to or detract from ultimately becoming a responsible road user.  In our programs, the explanation of the many factors that relate to road safety and efficiency are kept at a very practical level yet leave very few stones unturned in the process.   In many of our sessions we have students commenting "I had no idea that factor A could have such an impact on event B!"

Do I need to have my G1 license in order to start my program?

No, but you should be at least close to 16 years of age. A G1 license is a requirement to allow you to start doing the in-car part of your training.  However, it is not a requirement to start the in-class part of the training.  As a matter of fact, if you don't yet have your G1 license, it may be a good idea to get started with your in-class training as soon as possible because it is an excellent preparation for the written test at the MTO which you'll need to pass in order to obtain your G1 license.

I have a difficult schedule to live with.   How flexible is your program?

Very flexible indeed!  While you'll need to attend all 8 individual sessions to qualify for your insurance reduction certificate, our program is arranged in a modular format which enables you to follow it in any order that suits you best. 

Also, with our varied in-class program schedules, you can attend classes in different schedules to better fit your own.  

Your in-car training is also very flexible.  In car lessons can start as early as 8am or as late as 8pm and it also possible to schedule lessons over a weekend.   Additionally, for greater convenience, it is also possible to be picked up from school or home and be dropped off at work at the end of your lesson .   However, do keep in mind that for certification purposes your training must be completed within 1year.

I know that it's a good idea to get extra practice with my relatives but my lessons at home make me and my relatives very nervous and my lessons unproductive.   How do I make the most of my practice time at home with my relatives ?

Understandably, relatives tend to be very uneasy about letting an inexperienced driver take control of their vehicles.  Besides, while it is easy to tell when something is not done right, pin-pointing the cause of the problem is not always an easy task and that can be very frustrating.

First of all, make it easy on your relatives by spending some time with one of our experienced instructors, who are calm enough to see you through the very rough first few stages of your driving career.   Once you have mastered the basics, practice will make perfect.  At this point you'll be ready to spend time at home with relatives practicing the skills learned during your formal training. 

Secondly,  your at home practice sessions do not have to be as long or as goal oriented as your formal in-car training usually is.   Driving sessions at home should be frequent and could be short - a trip to a shopping center, your drive back home from school, picking up the kid brother from his hockey practice etc. are all good opportunities to practice driving without having to cut into times required for other, perhaps more important, activities.  Long practice sessions tend to make tempers flare up (if you are having difficulties with any one skill) and a pressure filled environment is not very conducive to effective learning.  

Finally, we have put together an exclusive co-pilots manual that should be used by most parents/relatives who trully would like to be effective in supervising you during your practice sessions.   It is arranged in a simple to follow format.    It lists the natural order of the learning process, includes several useful diagrams and offers suggestions on how to address several causes behind the most common driving problems encountered by beginners.   Also, it's free of charge to all our students.  Be sure to ask our staff for a copy when you start your in-car practice at home.