How to Choose a Colorado Drivers Education School

The Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles and state government promote safe teen driving by setting high driver education school standards. Before a teenage driver receives a driver's license, he must provide the DMV with an affidavit of driver education program completion. Colorado has several driver education schools, and prospective students must conduct research to make sure they enroll in an appropriate school.

State Approval

The Colorado DMV only provides permits and licenses to people who attend state approved driver education schools. A list of approved schools is available on the Colorado state website. The list provides contact information and a breakdown of available services. When contacting a driver education school not listed on the Colorado state website, find out if the school is state certified.

Credentials

Check Colorado driver education programs for current licensing and insurance. Training vehicles receive annual inspections before state licensing renewal. In addition to state licensing, driver education schools should have liability insurance for all training vehicles. To verify current insurance and licensing status, ask for proof of insurance and records of inspection.

Instructor Qualification

Request detailed information on the experience and education level of active driving instructors. Find out how many years of driver education teaching experience the instructor has, and if the school requires written or driving exams before hiring instructors. Ask the school for the instructors' accident histories. Also, review Better Business Bureau records for customer complaints.

Extra Services

Inquire about the schools' extra services. As of February 2011, Colorado minors under the age of 18 must show the DMV a driving log that documents at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel training. The log should record at least 10 hours of night driving. Choosing a school that offers night classes, additional behind-the-wheel sessions and record-keeping simplifies the process of meeting DMV drivers education requirements.