Policy

Welcome to Benson's Driving School. We are committed to providing the best driving education we can to ensure that your child is safe and keeps other driver on the road safe. Our classroom goal is to ensure that each student is able to learn in an environment with a minimum amount of distractions in order that they are able to understand all facets of driving and the driving laws of the State of NH. Our behind-the-wheel goal is for the students to drive in many types of driving situations. The following are rules and procedures required by the State of NH and Benson's Driving School. In a perfect world most of this policy would be unneccesary but it's not, so it is.

All students must be 16 years old by the last day of class. at 15 1/2 students may legally practice drive only in the State of New Hampshire if accompanied by a licensed driver at least 25 years of age and who is seated in the front and the student must have on their person a copy of their birth certificate. Only a parent or guardian can sign the 40 hour driving log. Students do not have any other restrictions because they are, in effect,driving under your license.
Students must pass an eye chart examination (20/40)on the 1st day of class.We will need a copy of the student's birth certificate prior to any driving.
No smoking, swearing or disruptive behavior will be tolerated during driver education instruction.

Prior to taking the DMV test,students must have completed a 40 hour driving log to record all driving done outside of driver education. At least 10 of these hours must be done at night. This log may be started when the student becomes 15 1/2. We will provide this form on the 1st day of class; this form may also be obtained at any New Hampshire DMV substation.
New Hampshire law requires that a student under 18 years old must complete a driver education course consisting of 30 hours of classroom, 10 hours of driving and 6 hours of observation before they can be eligible for a certificate of completion.
Per New Hampshire law, a student is not allowed to miss any driver education class time , unless in the case of death in the family or personal injury or illness. A signed note from parent or doctor is required before the student may return to class. Any exception to this law must be approved by the supervisor of driver education at the DMV in Concord.
Any student missing a class due to good cause must make the same class up in a future session. No more than 4 hours total of class may be missed or student must retake the driver education course.
Students cannot drive with driver's ed for more than 2 hours in one week and not more than one hour in a day. After the sixth driving lesson a student may drive 2 hours in a row. We will be focusing on all aspects of driving and we hope to be able to drive with students under all possible weather and traffic conditions. Experience is key to driving, so the more you are able to drive with your child the better they will become. We have specific lessons that we teach as the student progresses on the road and we do not move onto the next lesson until they are ready. For example, we are not going to start teaching parallel parking to a student until they can master driving down the road in a straight line. We will be learning to enter and exit highways; we do this by repeatedly getting on and off the highway. Driving on a highway is easier because they are relatively flat and straight. We find that the most difficult aspect is entering, so this will be the primary focus during those lessons. We will be teaching backing, backing into driveways and doing turnabouts. We will be doing forward, reverse, angle and parallel parking next to other cars, into empty spaces and in town with traffic. We will be driving in both rural and city areas. We are going to drive with the radio on, with students in the back seat, with students talking in the back seat because that is most likely the environment they will be driving in once they get their license and are on their own. We are going to try and drive anywhere and under any circumstances that your child may face while they are driving. We drive in primarily 60 minute increments. The student should be ready for us 15 minutes before the scheduled drive time and, because there is no way to predict weather, road or traffic conditions, we ask students not to plan to be home until 1/2 hour after their lesson ends, so they should plan accordingly.
For students that live in and/or attend school in our serviced driving area, we do not require meeting spots that would cause you to have to leave work or home in order for your child to receive their lessons. We pick students up at home or school, after school, for their driving.
We have found that students who rely only on the 10 hours provided by a driver education course do not receive sufficient experience to prepare them for driving, It is imperitive that the student complete the 40 hours required driving prior to taking the state DMV test. Also, because the student supplies the vehicle to be tested in, it is important that they practice any maneuvers in that vehicle also.
Students will be provided with a textbook, DMV driving manual and all neccesary paperwork. Textbook must be returned in the same condition it was received in or a charge of $ 45.00 to replace the textbook must be paid before the student will receive driver completion certificate.

Students must have a passing grade of 75% to pass the course. Students will be graded as follows: Chapter Quizzes: 40 % of final grade Unit Tests: 10 % of final grade Final Exam: 50 % of final grade
If, by the last day of class, the instructor beleives that a student is not yet ready to drive on the roads safely by themselves, we may withhold the certificate of completion until such time as they are.
Students must receive a passing grade of 75 % on the final exam.Those not passing may retake the exam after 10 days, there is no additional fee for this.
Students should expect to commit to 2 hours of driving times per week. Any scheduled driving time that the student misses without giving a 24 hour notification will result in a $ 40.00 rescheduling fee.Students names are drawn randomly every Monday for selection of drive times. We understand that students are also busy with work, sports and other activities but driver's ed is also a commitment. We try to be as flexible as possible. There is no favoritsm in drive selection, everyone is equally important to us and random selection allows this.
Students are not allowed to use or have cell phones or ipods on during any portion of driver education instruction.
Any student attending classroom or driving instruction in possesion of weapons of any kind or alcohol or drugs, internal or externalwill be removed from driver education and not allowed to return. We are required by law to report to the local police and the Department of Safety the use or possesion of any of the above during any portion of driver education instruction.
If the student has an IEP or any other type of learning disability it may be beneficial to share that with us so that we can address and compensate for that. All information shared with us is strictly confidential.
Students will not receive a certificate of completion if any of the following also apply:

Not paid in full
No textbook returned
Failing average on quizzes, tests or final exam

All deposits are non-refundable. No refund of tuition will be given after the 3rd class. Any refund given up to that point will be given minus $ 65.00 for each hour of driving provided.
Any payments not received prior to 14 days before the class ends must be paid in cash or money order or students must wait until the check clears before they will receive their certificate of completion.
All neccesay forms for licensing will be supplied on the last day of class. Students must have the following when they go to the New Hampshire DMV for their licensing tests:

Birth certificate with the raised seal
Actual social security card or a passport
Proof of residence ( current school ID or parent who lives at the same address)
40 hour log sheet
$ 50.00 license fee
Legally inspected vehicle
Parental permission form for a license signed by a parent or guardian ( parent does not have to be present )
Driver's license application

State of NH driver license testing occurs in the following order:

Eye Test----must pass reading 20/40
Written Test----20 questions multiple choice and 10 sign questions
Road Test----tset is done as a point system with points being deducted for various driving errors

Anyone failing the DMV written test may retake that in 10 days. Anyone failing the road test may have to wait anywhere between 10 days and one year, depending on the reason for failure. Three (3) fails on any test will result in the applicant not being able to practice drive for one year or to retake a driver education course.
For the first 6 months with a license you are restricted to no more than one non-relative in your vehicle at any time and you cannot drive between 1 am and 5 am.

PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REVOKE THE LICENSE OF ANY CHILD UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE FOR ANY REASON. This revocation acts the same as if the courts revoked it. Your child will have to pay the state a fee to get their license reinstated.

These rules are set forth so that everyone will have a complete understanding of our program. We are concerned with the student's well being, as well as a positive, distraction free learning experience for all. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us to address the issue. Please sign at the bottom return the complete policy no later than the second night of class. _________________________________________________________

I have read all of the attached pages regarding the program at Benson's Driving School, LLC. I understand and agree to all terms stated, and would like my son/daughter to participate. I understand and agree to the payment plan structure, as well as the disciplinary codes that are strictly enforced.

Parent signature:__________________________Date____________

Student signature:_________________________Date___________