|
Teenage
Driver | Adult Driver | Physically
Challenged Driver
Classes/Prices | Our
Instructors | Download an
Application
Alert Driver
Training of Vinton was founded in 1996 to teach the latest
safe and defensive driving techniques and to enhance driver
awareness of risk faced while driving. ADTV is dedicated to a
quality educational program and making Virginia a safer place
to drive. We are licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles
and use DMV approved curriculum. Our instructors are
conscientious and caring and have passed college level courses
required by the DMV to teach.
Teenage
Driver
The State of Virginia and the Department of Motor Vehicles
require that all individuals under the age of 19 meet the
following requirements to become a licensed driver:
•
Obtain a Virginia
Learner's Permit not sooner than 15 years, 6
months of age
• Complete
36, 50-minute periods of classroom instruction
• Complete
14, 50 minute periods of behind-the-wheel instruction
(7 periods driving - 7 periods of observation)
• Hold
Virginia Learner's Permit 9 months
ADTV offers the
required 36 periods of classroom and 14 periods of in-car
training. We offer them separately or as a package. See
Classes/Prices. We also offer in-car practice driving over and
above the required 14 periods at the student's and/or parents
request for an additional charge. Click
here for an application if you are under 19 years of age.
Why
are teenage drivers at higher risk?
There are two main reasons why teenage drivers are at
increased risk for motor vehicle-related crashes that result
in injury or death, including the following:
| Lack
of driving experience: |
|
Lack of
experience means the teenage driver is less able to
detect and respond to traffic hazards, less in control
of his/her vehicle, and less able to integrate speed. |
| Risk
behavior of teenagers: |
|
Teenagers
tend to take more risks as they are influenced by
their emotions, stress, and peer pressure. In
addition, experimenting with alcohol and recreational
drugs can impair the teenager's driving ability. Also,
teenage drivers tend to not use their seat belts,
increasing their risk of injury in a crash. According
to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), less than
one-fourth of high school students say they always
wear their seat belts when another person is driving. |
Another
contributing factor to the increased risk to teenager drivers
includes nighttime driving. Nighttime driving is more
difficult for anyone, especially the novice driver. However,
teenagers tend to do disproportionately more driving at night,
increasing their risk of a fatal motor vehicle crash, as
compared to daytime driving.
Some of the
things you can do to help your teen become a responsible
driver include:
•
practicing good and
safe driving habits yourself
• letting
your teen get their learner's as soon as possible so
that they can have as much supervised driving
practice as possible
• see
that they are receiving the proper information in their
driver's
education classes both classroom and behind-the-wheel
• have
your teen sign a Driving Agreement
(see www.parentingteendrivers.com
and www.ipromiseprogram.com
)
• require
the use of seat belts
• restrict
night driving time
• restrict
the number of passengers
• chose
a vehicle for safety, not image
• prohibit
drinking and driving
Adult
Driver
The State of Virginia and DMV required individuals over the
age of 19 to obtain a Virginia Learners Permit by taking a
written test at the DMV and holding the permit for a period of
30 days before taking the Road Test at the DMV.
Many individuals do not feel confident enough to take the
written and/or the road test without help from someone. That
someone can be us. We will gladly provide the following
services to those individuals over the age of 19 who need
assistance in obtaining their license:
•
Give assistance in
studying for the written test
• Take
student to the DMV for written and road test
(we even allow you to use our car for the test)
• Give
instruction for behind-the-wheel.
• Flexible
schedules
• Pick
up and delivery at home or work for lessons
We also can
assist individuals who may have had a lapse in their driving
due to an illness or injury and just need a little "on
the road" refresher course. See Classes/Prices for more
information.
Physically
Challenged Driver
We believe that everyone who can should be able to drive.
Therefore, we have been working with various agencies to teach
those individuals who are physically challenged. Our vehicle
is equipped with right angle controls, and spinner knob, (left
foot accelerator is available if needed). We will pick up and
deliver at home or work. We can assist students in obtaining
their learner's permit if necessary as well as complete the
in-car instruction. We also will assist the student in getting
their own vehicle equipped with special controls if necessary.
Call for pricing.
|
 "I am 77 yrs. old and I had a stroke 1 1/2 yrs ago. One of my ultimate goals was to drive again. My license expired while I was in the hospital and I had to go back to the Learners Permit stage! I went through Woodrow Wilson Rehab Center In Fisherville, Va. on the advice of my
physician. They were not equipped to give me instructions often enough in my own environment to regain my driving skills due to our distance from their facility. They obtained an instructor for me who had experience in instructing stroke patients. Mr. C. was very patient and dedicated to helping me reach my goal. His instructions included everything I needed to drive safely and , when he felt I was ready, went with me to the DMV for my driving test and to get my license. He was very instrumental in my driving again. Thank You , Norman!
"
Dr. Lewis F. Affronti, Sr. |
Click
here for an application.
Classes/Prices
We believe our classroom setting is comfortable and pleasant
which helps the student learn all that he or she can during
their time in class. We make use of many medias, i.e. books,
videos and computers. Some of the areas of instruction the
students will cover are:
•
Traffic Laws
• What
to do at the scene of an accident
• Auto
insurance - learning what insurance is all about
• Legal
system - dealing with the police and courts in a positive
way
• Vehicle
Maintenance - monthly care of your vehicle
• Buying/Selling
a vehicle
• Defensive
Driving and Road Rage
Students will
have class discussions guided by their instructor. Homework
assignments and tests along with a one-page report make up
students overall grade. A 75 is required to pass the classroom
instruction. The chart below shows prices. Please see the
schedule at the top of the page on the left.
Package
(classroom/
behind-the-wheel) |
Behind-the-wheel
Only* |
Classroom
(36 periods) |
|
$410.00 |
$310.00 |
$200.00 |
| *You
must have completed 36 periods of classroom
instruction and have your completion certificate
before you will be able to drive. |
We require a
$100.00 deposit with all applications before reserving a place
in the class or in the car. $30.00 of deposit is
non-refundable if you cancel.
| Adult
Instruction Prices |
|
$45.00 per
hour |
|
Physically
Challenged Drivers |
|
Call for
pricing. |
Dates and prices are subject to change.
Our
Instructors
We have one full-time instructor and five part-time instructors. We are presently operating six driver's ed vehicles which are equipped with dual brakes.
Mike Stovall is the new owner of Alert Driver Training of Vinton. Mike was a member of the Vinton police force for 9 years. He has also trained other officers in defensive driving techniques. He also a member of the Roanoke County School Board. Mike will be teaching driver education in the classroom and behind-the-wheel. He will also be working our physically challenged students.
Paul Barnard is a part-time instructor. He teaches
physical education and driver's ed at William Byrd High
School.
Karen McWhorter is a regular substitute teacher for
Lord Botetourt High School. She received her degree in
education from Radford University. She lives in Botetourt
County and is a part time instructor for classroom and
behind-the-wheel.
Cary Leeth is a retired driver education instructor
from Lord Botetourt High School. Cary received his degree in
education from Virginia Tech and lives in Vinton.
Ronald Duncan is a full time instructor from
Tazewell, Virginia. Ron and his wife retired to the Roanoke
Valley after 31 years of teaching in the Tazewell area.
Jane G. Layman is a part-time instructor and works
for Roanoke County Schools. She has been an athletic
director at William Byrd High School. She received her
teaching degree from Longwood College.
Ed Purdy is a retired teacher from Lord Botetourt High School with 30 years of experience teaching physical education and driver education. Ed is a Behind-the-Wheel instructor.
Jerry Canada is a retired District Manager for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles overseeing 10 DMV Offices. Prior to joining the DMV, Jerry was a Virginia State Trooper for 6 years. Jerry teaches driver education in the classroom and behind-the-wheel.
Enroll
Now!!!
Download an application
in PDF format.
If
you are under 19
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