Why Texas parents should pick a professional driving instructor for their teen

Like most states, Texas requires teen student drivers to receive in-car driving training. Unlike most states, Texas allows parents to serve as their teen's driving instructor.

Professional driving instruction comes with real advantages, though. Instructors are trained and licensed to teach novice drivers, and equipped to keep their students safe in an emergency. Teens may be safer after completing their instruction, too: A study by the Texas Transportation Institute found parent-taught drivers were more likely to be convicted of driving violations and to be involved in serious crashes.¹

We look at 6 reasons AAA believes having your teen driver taught by a professional instructor is the safer, smarter, and less stressful choice.

1. Research finds professional-taught drivers are safer once they're on their own

In 2007, 10 years after Texas began allowing in-car instruction by parents, the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M did a study and found there was an impact to road safety:

• The institute found that once novice drivers completed the mandatory 6-month learners’ permit phase, parent-taught drivers were more likely to be convicted of driving violations, including speeding and failing to yield.
• In the 6 months of driving experience after the learners’ permit period, parent-taught drivers were involved in nearly 50% more crashes in which at least 1 person suffered a severe injury. 
• After supervisory and Graduated Driver License restrictions were removed, parent-taught drivers were nearly 3 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash.

In addition, the institute wrote that "parent-taught students demonstrated poorer driving knowledge early in the training and licensing process and poorer driving skills at the end of the formal driver education."

3. Professionals know the law & the driving test

How long should you come to a complete stop at a stop sign? Which lane should you turn in to when making a left turn? What's the speed limit on an unsigned residential street? Parents may have last passed a driving test decades ago and no longer be familiar with the letter of the law.

A professional instructor will know Texas law and prepare your teen to demonstrate knowledge of those laws during their in-car driving test.

4. Professionals are equipped for safe teaching

A driving school car will have a second, passenger-side brake pedal. That lets the instructor quickly bring the car to a stop in an emergency, such as if your teen driver doesn't see a dangerous situation developing or reacts a moment too late. 

Professional instructors also have more experience taking over the driver's steering wheel from the passenger seat, and will be more comfortable knowing when and how to do it if something goes wrong.

6. Teaching in your car brings insurance risks

If your teen is involved in a crash while learning to drive in your car, you could be on the hook for the damage, and your insurance rates could go up. In contrast, driving schools have their own insurance—any scrapes your teen gets into while learning in a professional instructor's car won't affect your car or its coverage.