(949) 250-7001

Making Orange County and Los Angeles County a better place - one safe driver at a time!

Newport Beach Driver's Ed - Safety 1st Driving School

Welcome to Safety 1st - Newport Beach's Premier Behind-the-Wheel Training

Newport Beach Driver's EdLooking for driver’s education in Newport Beach? Look no further than Safety 1st Driving School! As our name shows, your student’s safety is our number one concern, above all else. Second to that is our bigger goal of making Orange County a better place, one safe driver at a time. Everything we do revolves around those two principles.

We deeply care about our students. Our instructors treat your kid as if he or she were our own, taking great care to ensure they become safe, skilled drivers. We are all-too familiar with the tragic statistics that teenage drivers are the most dangerous demographic behind the wheel, and we are committed to doing all we can to reverse those facts. We believe change is possible, but sometimes you have to go about it a different way to get through to your students.

Here’s how we go above and beyond with our Newport Beach driver’s ed:

We genuinely care.

Safety 1st is licensed, bonded, and insured, and all our instructors are DMV certified. Beyond that, we have our own rigorous training program for instructors. We set higher standards for our instructors than even the California DMV.

We use brand new, top safety rated cars to ensure your student learns in the safest environment possible. Learn more about our cars here.

Although we do have high DMV pass rates, we don’t teach our students just to pass the exams. We teach each student individually, addressing his or her strengths and weaknesses each week, with the ultimate goal that when they receive their license, they will be a safe, skilled, courteous, alert, disciplined driver.

Our instructors show up clean, professional, and ON TIME, every time. We are all about YOU! Read on…

We cater to our students’ needs.

Our instructors can pick you up and drop you off for your behind-the-wheel lessons, no problem. We offer a number of different Packages for behind-the-wheel training – check them out here.

We never, EVER use your student driver to perform errands or personal business. Their driving time is 100% devoted to them. Our instructors are focused on your student’s driving at all times.

To that end, we also don’t allow piggybacking. Only one student per car, per behind-the-wheel lesson, no passengers allowed.

We keep you in the loop.

We have a Unique Grading System that parents love. First of all, it requires the driving instructor to be completely focused on your student during his or her entire behind-the-wheel lesson, and it also provides an easy way for us to communicate to you how your teen is doing in driver’s ed.

After every driving lesson, your student receives an overall grade based upon a number of factors. Specific notes are made on our iPad, which we show you each week. We will let you know where your student excels, and where he or she needs improvement. That way, you’ll know what to be working on over the next week in your driving practice. We believe parent involvement is crucial to a teenager’s success in all areas of life, including driving. The more involved you can be, the better. We do everything we can to foster that open relationship between you and your teen.

Please give us a call at (949) 250-7001 and we will gladly answer all your questions about our Newport Beach Driver’s Ed program. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Newport Beach Driver's Ed

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Step 1. Complete our online driver’s education course

Register for our online driver education course. After you complete the required chapters and tests, we will then send you the DMV Certificate of Completion (DL387) that you can take to the DMV when you are ready to take the written test for your learner’s permit.

Our online driver ed course is available to all California residents. You can take our course at your own pace, in your own home in your own time.

Step 2. Study for the DMV written test

You will need to study for the DMV written permit test by reading through the DMV California Driver Handbook. It will benefit you if you take your time and study the handbook so you are comfortable with the information that will be on the test.

Take your time, you don’t want to have to go back to retake the test.

Step 3. Make an appointment at the DMV to take the written exam

It is important that you call ahead of time and schedule an appointment at the local DMV so you can go in and take the written test.

The lines at the DMV are usually very long so you don’t want to waste your time waiting in line. Make sure that you are well prepared for your appointment.

Most DMV’s are open Mondays through Fridays until 5 pm; Some are also open on Saturdays for a few hours so call ahead of time and see which date and times are best for you.

Step 4. Bring necessary documents to the DMV office

  • Complete the application form DL 44, remember the DMV always requires An original to be submitted. Copies will not be accepted in any form, so make sure you have exactly what you need. You can get this form from your local DMV.
  • Have your parents or guardians sign the application form DL 44.
  • Give your right thumbprint.
  • Have your picture taken.
  • Provide your social security #
  • Verify your birth date and legal residence
  • Submit the proper form(s) for Driver Education and/or Driver Training (see below for details)
  • Pay the $28.00 application fee (This fee entitles you to three exams of any type within the 12-month period and pays for both the instruction permit and the driver license. If all requirements are not met within the 12-month period, the application becomes void and all steps must be completed again.)
  • Pass a vision exam, if you need glasses, wear them.
  • Pass a written test, there are 46 questions on the test.
  • You need a passing score of at least 39 correct answers.
  • You have three chances to pass the test. If you fail, you must wait 7 days before taking it again.

 

Driver Education and Driver Training Form Requirements:

If you are 15  years of age, you will need to bring with you:

  • Form DL 356 or OL 237 (Completion of Driver Education) with form DL 391 (Driver Training Enrollment ) if your school has a contract with a driving school.

OR

  • Form DL 356 or forms OL 237 and OL 238 (Completion of both Driver Education and Driver Training)

OR

  • Submit form DL 391 or OL 239 (Simultaneous Enrollment in Driver Education and Driver Training)

 

If you are over 15 but under 18 years of age, you will need to submit:

  • Form DL 356 or OL 237 (Completion of Driver Education)

OR

  • Form DL 391 or OL 239 (Simultaneous Enrollment in Driver Education and Driver Training)

 

If you are over 17  but under 18 years of age, you may get your permit without the driver education and driver training certificates however, you will not be able to take the driving test until you turn 18.

Once you pass your written test, you will be issued a provisional permit. You can be issued a permit at age 15, but you cannot take the driving test or be issued a driver’s license until you are 16 years of age.

A parent, guardian, spouse, or adult 25 years of age or older, who has a valid California driver’s license, must be with you when you drive. They must sit in a position that allows them to take control of the vehicle, if necessary. It is illegal for you to drive alone at any time.

Before being eligible to take the driving test you must:

  • Be 16 years old
  • Have had your permit for a minimum of six months
  • Have completed driver education
  • Have completed 6 hours of professional driver training
  • Have completed 50 hours of practice with an adult 25 years or older. The adult must have a valid California driver’s license and certify to the 50 hours of practice. At least 10 of the 50 hours must have been done at night.

 

If driver education and driver training were taken in a state other than California, DMV will accept either a Secondary Schools Other Than California Schools form DL 33 completed by the out-of-state school or a letter on the out-of-state school’s stationery signed by a school official stating that the courses are equivalent to California’s requirements. Instructional permits issued by another state are not acceptable

Step 5. Complete behind the wheel training

When you pass the written exam:

  • You are required to take your first 2 hours of behind the wheel training with a professional driving instructor.
  •  You may start behind the wheel training with your parent/guardian or other licensed drivers who are 25 years of age or older.
  •  You must further complete four (4) more hours of driving school instruction.
  • Complete fifty (50) additional hours of behind the wheel training with a parent/guardian or any other adult who is 25 years old or older. The adult must have a valid California driver license and certify that you’ve had the 50 hours of practice. It is required that 10 of the 50 hours of training is done in the evening.

Step 6. Take the driving test at the DMV

To be eligible to take your driving test you must:

  • Be 16 years old
  • Have had your permit for a minimum of six months
  • Have completed a driver education course
  • Have completed 6 hours of professional driver training
  • Have completed 50 hours of practice with an adult who is 25 years or older. The adult must have a valid California driver license and certify to the 50 hours of practice. At least 10 of the 50 hours must have been done at night.
  • You will also need to show registration and proof of insurance for the vehicle you will be taking your drive test in.
  •  If you fail your drive test, you must wait two weeks before you can take the test again. You have three chances to pass.
    • Driving (behind-the-wheel) retest fee is $6.00.
    • Motorcycle driving (behind-the-wheel) retest fee $6.00.

 

After you pass your drive test you will be issued an interim license valid for 60 days until you receive your new photo license in the mail. Double-check your address before you leave DMV and tell the DMV representative if you have moved or if your address is incorrect.

If you have not received your license after 60 days, call (916) 657-7790 and they can check on the status for you. Have your interim license with you to provide information when requested.

Step 7. Receive provisional license upon passing the driving test

After you pass the Driving Test, you will be issued a provisional license. Your license will have the following restrictions for the next year: During the first 12 months, you are licensed to drive you must be accompanied by a driver 25 years of age or older if you drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. or if you have passengers under the age of 20 in the car at any time.

Persons under 18 may not be employed to drive a motor vehicle. When you become 18, the provisional part of your license ends. You may continue to drive as an adult using your photo license, which will expire on your 5th birthday after the date you applied.