Texas is a state that likes everything big. Big ranches and farms, big homes, big state parks, and even big slices of toast. Texas also has a big road network, with far more lane-miles of roads (over 675,000!) than any other state, even including other big states like Alaska and California.
So while Texas has no fewer than four major metro areas and several more significant cities, all that distance between significant stops makes driving a more or less required pastime. Learning how to drive is important all across America, but there are few states where it’s as important as it is in Texas. That’s why driver’s ed in Texas has led the way in going online, becoming one of a growing number of states to make it easy for new drivers to learn the rules of the road through an online course.
The Fiber Optic Wild West
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell which online option is the best. To teach driver’s ed in Texas, both websites and in-person courses have to meet a certain minimum standard, but the state doesn’t hand out extra certifications for having good customer service or an entertaining, well-written course. These are the sort of things you have to find out for yourself, and very often you won’t know exactly what you’re in for until after you’ve paid for the lessons.
Fortunately, Traffic School Critics is here to tell you what you need to know. Whether you’re looking for a traffic school or driver’s ed in Texas or any other state in the union, we can let you know which options are best, which are mediocre, and which ones you should avoid entirely.
Benefits of Taking Online Driver’s Education in Texas
Before we tell you more about us, let’s discuss what’s in it for you – what will you get for taking driving lessons online.
Whether for teens or adults, taking driver’s education online offers an uncomplicated, trouble-free option to learn safe driving. Registering for an online course is a lot faster, too. You can simply log in and you can immediately start – no need to wait for schedules.
For first-time drivers, an online driver’s ed is more flexible and convenient. They also prefer it because it gives them this sense of freedom – a taste of what it feels like to be independent while learning about self-discipline and responsibility.
We can’t also deny that online driver’s ed is more interactive and leans more on using engaging visual materials such as videos, animations, and games. They say that learning while being entertained provides a higher retention rate of information, especially for teens.
Not to mention, some online schools also provide exam preparation materials that you may take as much as you want until you master it – for a higher chance of acing your final exam.
In addition, online education is also preferable for students who have a tight schedule – being able to complete the courses anywhere saves them a lot of time time.
What’s more, online traffic school courses are more affordable than in-person classes. It’s not only that the prices are cheaper, but also, you’ll get a chance to earn discounts. And if you’re not satisfied with the course, most schools have a money-back guarantee; you don’t have to pay if you don’t want to complete it.
Our Model of Success
As you might guess from our website’s name, traffic schools are what we usually focus on, but just because we don’t cover as many driver’s ed programs doesn’t mean we go easy on them. If anything, we tend to be harder on drivers because of how important it is in learning how to drive. Traffic school is a quick (if boring) way to clean up a tarnished driving record, but driver’s ed may be the first time a new driver learns defensive driving techniques and many of the more obscure rules of the road.
That’s why we look for online driver’s ed courses that make the coursework as entertaining as possible. Drivers ed in Texas is never going to be the most interesting course a teenager takes, but an online program can take advantage of the medium by providing interactive lessons, videos, animations, and other presentation methods that can engage students better than a decades-old textbook and videos that are only slightly younger.
Our evaluation doesn’t end with the material, either. We also look for things like 24/7/365 customer service, awarding particularly high marks for sites that let you contact them through email, phone, and live chat. We also like to see low prices and discounts, money-back guarantees or free samples, and a lengthy record of satisfied customers. If a site manages to meet all these requirements and more, it gets more than a four or five-star rating: it gets our TSC Certification.
What Else We Offer
Along with our reviews of online traffic schools and driver’s ed courses, our site also hosts a variety of tips and tricks about how to take online driving lessons and how to drive safely thanks to our constantly updated blog.
For instance, you might be interested in learning how to navigate when you don’t have someone in the passenger seat to locate your destination. For the most part, the answer is to never fiddle with maps or GPS while the car is in motion. Other small things you can do to stay safe include putting your phone away so it can’t distract you, remembering to use your turn signals every time you change lanes or streets, and making any adjustments you need to make to the mirrors and the seat before you turn on the engine.
For new students of driver’s ed in Texas and anywhere else you’re allowed to sign up for online classes, Traffic School Critics is here to let you know which sites to try and which ones you’re better off ignoring. There aren’t many other sites like ours on the internet, but we don’t let that stop us from providing the best reviews and information we can.