Information on our Driver Education Classes
South Bay Driving School is located at 3614 Pacific Coast Hwy in Torrance. We are one block east of Hawthorne Blvd., across the street (south of) from Best Buy.
The minimim requirements set by the Department of Motor Vehicles for Driver's Education ( the teenager classroom course) is thirty 50-minute sessions. South Bay also offers the online Driver Education through 310DriversEd.com. For a comparison of the two courses, click here.
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Driver Training Information
The minimum requirement set by the Department of Motor Vehicles for a Driver's Training (behind-the-wheel) course is six-hours of training. We pick up and drop off our students for most lessons. (Pickup can be at home, school, practice, or any place arranged in advace; please have a working [turned on] cell phone with you if your pick-up is not at home).
Driver Training is accomplished in a vehicle with a licensed instructor. Six (6) hours training with licensed instructor in a public or private driving school are required by law. It takes three days, (two hours per day) to complete, though it is best NOT to take the lessons too close together - practicing between lessons is imperative!. Driver Training can be taken any day of the week with an appointment and the training covers basic driving skills. Once these skills are mastered and the instructor feels the student can do so safely, freeway and parallel parking will be covered. It is up to the instructor to decide if the student is ready without interfering with learning and practicing basic driving skills (feel free to request freeway or parallel parking, and our instructor will make every effort to comply).
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General
The Driver's Education and Training courses at South Bay are designed to meet the social responsibilities and legal requirements of aspiring students. These driving courses are set in an atmosphere that is informative, creative and friendly. These courses provide the student with essential information concerning knowledge of the laws and the system. Our curriculum includes:
- Causes and Prevention of Accidents
- Signs, Signals, and Highway Markings
- California Vehicle Codes
- Rules of the Road
- State and Local Motor Vehicle Law and Ordinances
- Defensive Driving Techniques
Sound educational principles shall be employed which include one-on-one instruction requiring student involvement in a variety of ways. A textbook and 20 films are utilized, and each is concluded with discussion, observation, demonstration and review. The student is tested, quizzed and given spontaneous evaluation of his or her individual progress.
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Let's Get Started!
"I am approaching 15½ years old. What should I do now?"
You can start anytime, though you WILL have to wait until you are 15½ before you may obtain your permit from the DMV. Just follow the steps below!
Step One: Take Driver's Education
At South Bay, we offer the traditional, more comprehensive lecture-style Driver Education course or the Online Driver Education through 310DriversEd.com. At the end of the course you will be given a completion certificate.
Classroom Driver Education or Online Driver Education?
Step Two: Obtain Your Permit From the DMV
To Obtain a Permit, fill out a DL44 (DMV Permit/License Applicatioh), have your parents sign it (we are happy to give you one!), and:
If you are 17 1/2, present your birth certificate, Social Security number, and pass the permit test.
If you are 15 1/2, present a Driver's Education Completion Certificate, Certificate of Enrollment in Driver Training certificate (OL392), original birth certificate (this has purple ink or the state seal embossed on it – NO COPIES!), Social Security number (though if you have your card, it is our experience that it is best to have it with you) and pass the permit test. The DMV WILL be taking your picture on this day, so be prepared for that.
You must have a DL-44 signed by both parents (or guardians) who have legal (though not necessarily physical) custody of you. The student should NOT sign the application until he/she is at the DMV and instructed to do so. (The DMV employee has to watch you sign the form) Be sure to sign your legal name. (No nicknames – and it is a good idea to have established your consistent and legible signature by this time) Check your permit for errors while still at the DMV. If your name, birth-date or address is not correct, let the DMV employee know immediately. Be sure to bring your passport or original birth certificate (the official birth certificate is issued by the registrar of the county/city in which you were born, not the hospital!) (If you were born in Los Angeles County, you may obtain a copy of your birth certificate by contacting the County Registrar's office at (800) 201-8999. Ask for the 'long' copy. If the DMV employee has any problem with your paperwork, before you leave the DMV, call us! We are open whenever they are, and can be reached at 310-791-1111. The test is tough, but if you can pass our final exam, it will be easy for you. Do Not take the test lightly! There are 46 questions on the DMV
test, and you must wait a week to try again if you miss more than eight. Read every question completely. You are always welcome to come back to class for additional lectures or tests, at no charge to you if you need additional preparation (this is offered to all of our teen students, whether they take our classroom course or the online course through 310DriversEd.com.)
Step Three: Driver's Training (behind-the-wheel)
Driver Training is accomplished in a vehicle with a licensed DMV instructor. (No, your parent cannot legally do this). It can be taken any day of the week with an appointment. (These may be made for the same day when our schedules permit.) Appointments are more difficult to make during holidays, so call early to get the appointments best for you if you want them then. Keep in mind though, we will not schedule a teenager who does not currently possess a valid permit and there are times when schedules at South Bay book up more than one month in advance..
The six-hour training requires three days, driving two hours per day, to complete. We do not make one-hour appointments. Driver's Training does not automatically cover freeway driving and parallel parking. Once the student masters basic driving skills, freeway driving and parallel parking may be included, if time permits, at the discretion of the instructor.
Step Four: Practice, Practice, Practice!
You must be 16 years old and have completed at least 50 hours of practice, (ten of which are at night) with someone over 25 years of age to be eligible for your provisional license. They will require your parent or guardian's signature on your permit, along with their license number as proof that this has been done. You must also hold your permit for a minimum of six months before you are eligible to receive a license.
Step Five: Take the DMV Behind-the-Wheel Test!
Call 1-800-777-0133 to schedule your behind-the-wheel test. It usually requires at least two weeks notice to book the test. The DMVs in this area are usually open Monday through Friday only, with late hours (6:30 PM) on Thursdays, as well as the third Saturday of each month. We recommend the Torrance, San Pedro or Hawthorne DMVs to our students. Bring your permit (signed by your parent), Driver Training Completion certificate, your registration and your insurance card. Rest up. Make sure you have practiced in an area similar to the DMV of your choice, so you are familiar with the type of driving you will be tested on. Do NOT drive on the route before the test, nor ask our instructors to take you on the route. (This is illegal). The examiner knows you are nervous. Pay attention to road signs. Don't sweat the small mistakes. Stay calm. Few teens pass on the first try, so do not think you are unusual if you fail. (Usually, it is a matter of obtaining more practice) If you have not completed your fifty hours with your parents, this will be apparent to the examiner. Parallel parking and freeway driving are not part of the current test. (But you should be familiar with both.)
Step Six: You are a Licensed Driver!
For the first 12 months of your provisional license, you may not drive with anyone under 20 or drive between the hours of 11PM and 5:00 AM, unless someone over 25 is in the car with you. (There are exceptions, just ask our office.) Good Luck, and Thanks for Choosing South Bay!
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Testing Helps
Occasionally, our students request additional testing information, practice, etc. These links will help any student preparing for the DMV permit test. For adults, most of the questions and information is valid as well, except for those questions dealing with teenagers specifically (we have marked these questions with a double asterisk (**). By clicking on the asterisk, the corresponding adult answer should pop up. . . (WebLady's Note: we apologize if this feature is not working yet. . . we are new to this webdesign stuff, and not sure if this can be done :) )
Quiz #1
Quiz #2
Random Information (added to weekly)
Numbers You Should Memorize
DMV Sample Test #1 link and Explanations
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