Earlier this month, Seattle-area headquartered The Driver Training Group worked with Washington state officials to gain approval for web-based learning at all of its 9-1-1 (911) and Swerve Driving Schools in the state of Washington. Developing the virtual platform in response to the coronavirus pandemic, The Driver Training Group and its schools took the initiative to obtain approval as a way to ensure students and their families could continue state-required classroom sessions without disruption. Beyond the effort for their own students, the well-established leader in driver education also set the stage for all driver education programs, public schools included, in the state to offer the same opportunity to continue classes through web-based training. Likewise, other states have looked to what The Driver Training Group accomplished in Washington and have used it to foster similar opportunities for driver education.
“We truly appreciate the relationships we have with state officials. In this instance, they were extremely collaborative and understood the value of offering web-based classes to keep driver education seamless for our students and instructors in a virtual setting,” said Joe Giammona, CEO of The Driver Training Group, and a proven nationwide leader in advocacy for driver education. “The web-based training gives our students, and their parents, an immense amount of reassurance. I’m proud of the fact that we led the way for the industry, but more important is the comfort we’re giving teenagers and parents when many things seem so uncertain.”
Certified 911 and SWERVE Driving School instructors situated at the driving school locations, in classrooms, are leading web-based training sessions live through Zoom. The platform allows instructors to take students through educational training presentations, while at the same time students can engage with the instructor and their classmates. The instructor can also be seen during the session.
While classroom sessions are continuing, driving lessons are paused and will resume once the stay-in-place mandate is lifted and it is safe to move forward.
“The temporary web-based training is a great way to fill a void in our students’ lives,” added Linda Erickson, vice president of operations for The Driver Training Group. “So much has been taken from teenagers because of current restrictions – schools are closed, they can’t see friends or family and they have to stay home at all times. We are helping give students a sense of stability. Using a relevant, research-backed curriculum developed by experts, the 911 and SWERVE Driving Schools change the way local students learn to drive.
The method focuses on teaching new drivers how to drive defensively to stay-collision free through coaching. It also provides parents with opportunities to be involved in their child’s driver education experience and teaches them how to be more effective coaches for their new teen drivers.
911 and SWERVE Driving School were created to inspire, educate, engage and motivate drivers to perform safely and responsibly behind the wheel. It has developed multiple programs for teen, adult, government and corporate fleet drivers that go beyond traditional driving lessons or driver’s education courses. Instructors prepare students mentally for driving on the road by helping them understand the driving environment, develop the ability to assess their risks and capabilities in a variety of different driving situations, and help them understand the limits of their vehicle.
