Moose60
Southern Tier, NY
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Here we go. DD is 16 and about to get her license. She has the opportunity to take driver ed this school year. DW and I have each taken the 6-hour defensive driving class and get the automatic 10% discount NY stipulates by law. However, I can't find anywhere that tells what discount she gets by taking driver ed. Is it the same 10% or is it more or less? BTW, she would rather take the college level Spanish course as opposed to driver ed., but if it's going to be a big money saver she'll take driver ed. Please respond only if you know how this applies in NY, thanks.
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The Texan
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Call your insurance agent tomorrow morning and ask them. Only they will know what your particular company does.
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wa8yxm
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WHere I do not know about N.Y.'s rules
In most states at 16 what they get for taking Driver's ED is the privileged of applying for a license (Please note this does not equal grand of said license)
IF you don't take Driver's ED then you don't get a license till you are... Somewhat older (18 or 21 depending on state)
Is this a good thing? Well... Personally I do not think ANYONE should get a license till they have completed a proper driver's ed course. This does (in many cases) NOT mean "Joe's Driving School" since Joe guarantees you will pass or.. He'll give you a passing grade anyway, er, let you take the course over for free. Mr. Jones, the driver's ed instructor the school layed off when Joe opened his business.. He could FLUNK you if you deserved it.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
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Kajtek1
CA
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Quote:Please respond only if you know how this applies in NY, thanks.
And he blables about Spanish classes 
Don't know nothing about defensive driving education discount, but here in CA my son got hiss permit at 15.5 years of age, taking Internet classes and passing test in the office.
Wher excatly NU state is giving the discount?
The mandatory 6 hr my son has with professional instructor is waste of time and money IMHO. The instructor took him for straight freeway and highway driving, while after 4 hr my son didn't know how to turn on parking lot.
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Moose60
Southern Tier, NY
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The 6-hour course I referred to is in a classroom setting - all books and movies. There is also a required 5-hour course that new drivers have to take before they can take the exam. That part is included in driver ed, but again, it is classroom. They are also required to drive a certain number of hours (I can't recall how many but it's a lot) that they also get in driver's ed. Non of that required stuff gets them a discount, but completion of driver ed does. But so does completion of the 6-hour class. Driver ed also makes them eligible for a "senior" license at 17 instead of 18 (allowing them to drive after 9:00, more than one other teen in the car, etc.). The website is clear about all of that, but not how much the discount is for driver ed.
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Crowe
Billerica, MA USA
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My son just went through 30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours driving w/an instructor, 6 hours of observation and 40 hours of driving with us before he could get his license and insurance discount.
No, I don't know about NY law BUT my advise is find the BEST driver's ed class you can find even if it costs big bucks. It makes a HUGE difference in their ability to drive, which is far more important than the insurance discount.
On edit: From one parent to another have her take the Spanish course. You can get driver's ed outside the classroom and it will probably be a better course. Don't push her to get her license unless it's a necessity. A teen that would rather take a college prep course should be encouraged to do so.
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FerrisFamilyof5
Niagara Falls, NY, USA
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From what we were told...no discount for taking drivers ed. My DD is required to take some kind of instruction to obatain her license. Be it out of my pocket at a driving school or out of "our" pockets through the high school. Once they get their license they can sign up for the defensive driving class and get the 10% discount. We are in the midst of this right now. Call your agent to verify, but up here that is what we were told.
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traxtermax
UPSTATE NEW YORK
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Moose60 wrote:...completion of driver ed does. But so does completion of the 6-hour class. Driver ed also makes them eligible for a "senior" license at 17 instead of 18 (allowing them to drive after 9:00, more than one other teen in the car, etc.)...
What's more important: ANY discount, or increasing your daughter's ability to drive safely?
Considering some of the extreme teenybop stupidity I've seen on the road, it's obvious to me that many kids today haven't had driver ed.
I think Crowe's point is well taken.
Edit:I think Crowe's point (i.e. "It makes a HUGE difference in their ability to drive, which is far more important than the insurance discount,") is well taken regardless of whether the course is private or school-sponsored.
Edit II: Fixed Edit I and syntax
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Moose60
Southern Tier, NY
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She's a great driver and has had far more than the 20 required hours behind the wheel. Furthermore, I believe the school program IS an outstanding one. But Ferris is right - there is no required discount for driver ed in NY (according to my agent whom I called this morning), and it is up to each insurance company to decide. Since they don't have to do it, they don't (according to my agent). But there is a good student discount offered by my carrier and she can take the 6-hour defensive driving course for the same 10% the rest of us get (like Ferris said).
It does kind of puzzle me though - kids can take a class that meets daily for half the year and includes the required behind-the-wheel time with a certified instructor and yet not be any different in the insurance company's eyes than the kid whose parents signed the form that says she completed 20 hours of driving before taking the test.
So, she'll be taking the college level Spanish along with college level history, math, and English and we'll be just as well off.
(Thanks to you New Yorkers who responded - your input was helpful. I really didn't want to hear the "I don't know about NY, but here in East Podunk kids don't need to have licenses! LOL)
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whimstock
North Texas
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Crowe wrote:.....No, I don't know about NY law BUT my advise is find the BEST driver's ed class you can find even if it costs big bucks. It makes a HUGE difference in their ability to drive, which is far more important than the insurance discount.
Whether you wanted to hear it from anyone outside NY or not this is the best advice on this thread.
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