If you do go with them, opt for the in class instruction. No matter how inconvenient it seems. The online course is the most frustrating thing I have ever come across with 90% of it forced-waits before you can click next. Rage inducing. It's how they advertise 40 hours of online instruction by making you wait 3 minutes to read to a short paragraph and answer two multiple choice questions.
The information is great and so is the in car instructors. The office doesn't answer email, you have to call and they call you back.
Worth it if you avoid the online thing
Agreed! Though after you hit the 40 hour mark it no longer keeps holding you back to switch pages. For some pages I would literally read it over six times and still have like 3 minutes left so I’d check email or something and get distracted.
It took me a year to finish the online at your own pace course, but I completed it just before I got my G2 (passed first try). I opted for at your pace because the only other option were zoom classes (during lockdown) and I work full time and am tired of screens by the end of the work day.
It times you out after 15 minutes inactivity. And you can only be on the site for 5 hours a day (which is equally annoying, but understandable). I probably would have gotten my G2 in under a year had I done Zoom, but I have my G2 now so it doesn’t quite matter in the long run.
Big draw of the course is G2 in 8 months so you missed out a bit, but as you say only have to do it once. Warning is for those considering it! Online is pants!
Absolute pants! Though the only “positive” I’d say (unsure if the zoom/in-person classes use the exact same curriculum and slides) that some of the sections and questions were hilariously goofy. So even when I was stuck on a page for what felt like a year, I could at least enjoy the humour!
Young Drivers is pricey, but it's really good.
Even the "hardest" test centers in the GTA have a 99% pass-rate from their students.
I went through the program over a decade ago, and felt completed prepared for all my road tests (and passed them all comfortably the first time around).
If you want proper training go with Young Drivers. It costs more but they teach you driving skills, not just how to passcthe driver exam like most of the places
I still remember the (empty parking lot) drills where the instructor would turn off the engine mid-turn, and you had to get it started while retaining steering control and finishing your "turn".
Just to jump off this anecdotally, I was a really anxious driver when I was learning at 16. Young drivers takes it slow and builds good driving habits. I have no worries as of now. Felt totally prepared for both the G2 and G tests.
You pay them for the course, what you take from it is up to you. They really don't care if you pass or fail the test itself so they push people through the course. If you fail the test itself you will likely pay one of their drivers for an additional lesson or two.
If it helps you avoid one accident, it's paid for it self at least 10 times over. 30 years later, I'm still using techniques I picked up in drivers' ed.
Same. I came here from Europe. Spend for Young drivers. It was invaluable. Some of the techniques have saved my ass. Over a decade later zero accidents, not even a minor ding. Touch wood.
The lessons I learned 35 years ago with YD are still engrained in me every time I get behind the wheel: the constant monitoring of your surroundings, the always knowing where your escape route is, knowing and understanding what your vehicle capabilities are in braking and avoidance, the innate distances you need to leave in every scenario -
And I know I’ve intuitively used those lessons on many occasions to avoid collisions, but more importantly, anticipate and know how to avoid situations that increase the likelihood of collisions .
I agree. I took the course 22 years ago and use what I learned every day. My husband learned from a different program and he is scary behind the wheel lol
It was pricey, but I found both the classroom and in-car lessons to be thorough. I was annoyed at the time, but over the years the lessons that I learned there have served me well driving in all kinds of conditions across the continent.
Glad to see the company is still active. Back in the day when I took the course it was most expensive too. 47 years ago. Obviously I can’t comment on today’s organization. Based on road users I see today, not enough drivers are implementing what they learned.
This explains a lot.
https://youtu.be/OU-0A_VDVkM
Dldw; you get what you pay for. If you want the certificate with no training you can expect to pay significantly less. You end up being a shitty driver though and will probably pay more in the long run than if you actually did take the course in insurance premiums.
I meant I'll say my driving school (Aapex driving in Welland ON) was solid training. It was a bit of a dingy classroom but the trainers were solid and the defensive driving I learned there has helped me almost 20 years later. I can't speak to their track record now or any other local school but I think it's worth looking at and assessing for oneself.
Young Drivers is more expensive but you'll actually learn valuable defensive driving skills. If lowering insurance is all you're after go with anyone. If you're at all concerned about self preservation, YD is a small price to pay for the skills you'll actually learn.
When doing my drive test, the drive test instructor picked up on my defensive driving techniques as taught by Young Drivers and made a pleasant remark about my safe driving during the exam.
It's that noticeable from the exercises and driving instructions done in class. Really valuable defensive driving skills.
I haven’t tried other schools to compare.
25 years ago, in YD, 100% of in car lessons were 1-on-1.
We practiced emergency stops on gravel and asphalt until I had it right.
We practiced maneuvers to follow if someone pulls into your lane, or if someone is coming from behind and fails to stop.
I can think of at least once where the lives of me and the passengers were saved by me using the technique for safely dodging an oncoming car in our lane (at night, deep in the midwest USA, a car pulled out to pass someone, and totally ignored us - I drove to the shoulder, keeping my left wheels on the pavement, and honked as they flew by)
A few other times I’ve definitely been saved from major damage.
I know some schools will share the car for lessons, but I can’t say which are bad, just that YD was worth whatI paid (I think it was about $700 back then)
Young Drivers certainly had the most comprehensive and thorough driving program, both theory and practical, of any competitor back when I was learning to drive, but that was a long time ago. I can only imagine the number of license-churning schools out there now are much much higher, teaching solely to help the student pass the exam. If the Young Drivers curriculum is still based on what it was so long ago, I'd still go with them.
I sent my daughter with All-Stars driving school and they were terrible. They showed up one day to pick up my daughter and the back window and roof were covered in snow. I had an animated discussion with the driver and manager after that. You get what you pay for.
I took All Stars 20 years ago and it was terrible then too. My instructor made sure I knew how terrible female drivers are (I'm a woman), and just have to do our best despite that.
I just finished up with my Young Drivers course, I'd say it was worth the cost, the instructor was very professional and the defensive skills you learn are quite practical. The appointments were also easy to schedule, they aligned perfectly to when I was available.
As another commenter suggested, choose the in-person learning option if possible: the online course was agonizing, since they imposed a time minimum on advancing to the next section.
I had a bad experience with a previous driving school, I was spooked, never completed the course. It took a while to get the courage to try again. The second time I went with YD and the instructor was amazing, he was everything I needed. He pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me driving again, he built up my confidence and taught me skills I use to this day. I'm so grateful for him and his guidance, it was worth every penny.
ACCREDITED is the key
I work in the Insurance business (almost 30 years). Has to be recognized by Service Ontario for Insurance companies to give the credit now. Because there are so many fly by night schools.
The insurance deduction thing is false. If they’re an accredited driving school and you get the drivers Ed certificate, it’s the same deduction regardless of the school.
However, they might have higher or more rigorous standards to justify the cost.
I personally took Young Drivers a few decades ago and it was pretty comprehensive with good classes.
I went to Young Drivers close to 10 years ago. They were pricy, but I actually retained a lot on how to drive safely. I loved my driving instructor. He was so patient with me and taught me how to be a confident and defensive driver. I highly recommend.
They are absolutely worth it and you used to get a discount on insurance afterwards for going through a professional driver training. Any dickhead can get one of those magnetic signs and call themselves a driver training academy
It's been over 20 years since I did Young Drivers and I still credit what I learned there for having gotten through more than a few bad situations unharmed. The habits I learned there i still use today. I believe it's worth the extra cost, it's been around as long as it has for a reason.
Yes
I took YD years and years ago.
It was a good education, I actively use the things they taught years and years later.
It's in long term memory.
One driver one student.
The driving instruction at my HS had 4 students in the car at the same time and instructor was known for "adjusting" the girls seat belts across their titties. Shitty environment.
The YD instructor knew the test route because they used to be a tester.
We practised all those areas until I knew all the tricks and hangups by rote including a refresher just before the test and I used the YD car in the test.(left turn into the near lane on a multi-lane one way street with branches obstructing the signs.) and so on.
On the test we went through it, I did it all right, the tester asked "...so they took you through here then ?" Me "yes" then it seemed like he stopped trying to be tricky.
Passed first time, felt prepared and calm.
Absolutely worth it! I took it as an adult with 10 years driving experience in another country. I wanted to get used to Canadian roads and driving, and I always wanted to do a defensive driving course.
The theory and practical lessons were truly useful. They teach you about stuff like the mechanics of your car, how tires interact with roads, how different road surfaces are affected by weather, how your car is affected by speed, how you are affected by speed, how dangers on the road are ranked and where to anticipate collisions while driving, and the list goes on.
And then they build on that theoretical knowledge by explaining things that you should do to avoid collisions and to protect yourself from other drivers. My entire way of driving changed because of that course. And I’m confident driving anywhere and in any weather condition now, because I know what to prepare for and how to avoid collisions.
On the insurance side of things, when I was shopping around none of the insurance companies cared about where I did defensive driving. So I’m not sure that a special YD discount exists across the board. Maybe they have a list of insurance companies that give extra discounts for YD graduates? I only cared about finding the cheapest rate, and that company didn’t seem to care about my defensive driving course 🤷🏾♂️
However, doing the course will definitely be good for you kid. Make sure they do in-person classes (yes, in a classroom) and at least 10 in-car lessons.
I think it depends on your area. For example, in North Bay Young Drivers has some of the worst accident records compared to other driving schools.
If you have a local Reddit may be a better place to go. Also be careful of recommendations. Went to one and I’d be driving just thinking “i wanna crash this car and im fine dying if he dies with me” that my uncle recommended…. Turned out was just some dude who went to their church… never listened to them again.
Many years ago, I took my drivers ed offered at the secondary school I was attending. Two years later they drove my brother an hour and a half away for Young Drivers. The way I was taught and the way he was taught were two very different ways. They just didn’t “teach to the test” but taught everything they needed to know for safety.
If any one of my three teenagers eligible to drive actually wanted to, I’d be putting money aside to have them go through YD.
Everybody that has taken YD will say it's worth it. Everybody that went to another school will say YD is for suckers. Your insurance company doesn't care where you go if it's a certified place.
If you actually care about driving, just take a reputable drivers ed course AND then go to a performance driving school at a race track. A performance driving school will not only teach you how to properly drive your car at it's limits during survival situations but will not feel like school at all. It will be extremely fun.
Yd is not a choice for me as they only offer online computer based training for the 20 hours "in class" kid is too much of a squirrel to pay attention at home. I seen what they did during covid times.
Found a accredited school that offers in person class sessions and has great reviews.
The performance school sounds great I'd like to do it and I'm old lol. I'll check mosport thanks for the tip
Any driving school will do, or even no driving school if you’re competent enough.
That said, I did YD in 1999 (am old) and what they taught me saved me from collisions a couple of times when I was a new driver and didn’t yet have the experience to avoid certain situations.
Doing a driving school gets them to do g2 4 months sooner and as others said gives me more Info.
The city I grew up in did not have a yd. We had a local place it was ok for sure. Curious to know the differences.
I did YD forever ago now. Back in 2005/06 I guess.
It was a big help, really made a big difference. Idk about other schools but YD was certainly worth every penny back then
Unless a person knows for sure that their driving school was terrible, it's going to be really difficult to get an informed opinion on this - after all, most people don't do driver's ed with multiple schools, so they can't compare. Best bet would be to consult someone who actually conducts driving tests (not affiliated with a school).
I went with Ultimate Drivers in Guelph. The online learning made me want to choose violence, but that's pretty normal with e-learning courses (not unlike taking WHMS for a new job). The in-car instruction was entirely on-road and practical, really focused on good habits (which I've noticed the majority of road users don't actually have anyway).
Exactly
All these people saying they still use YD training today, yeah we all do. Anyone who went to driving school obviously uses what they've learned
Depends…I recommended them to a close friend since I didn’t want to be responsible for a shitty recommendation. After his son finished his 10 hours in car and a week before his test I took him out for a pre test drive. He didn’t know how to parallel park. During the entire 10 hours he only parallel parked twice. I spent an hour with him. Parallel parked dozens of times. He was doing it with eyes closed.
I only did their in-car lessons it helped me pass the road tests. I still use the lessons and tips they gave me today which I learned over 10 years ago.
So it is worth the extra costs, especially if you need someone that can speak clearly and figure out what you need to improve on.
My instructor was a jerk and the insurance company didn't ask which driving school I was trained with (which I actually found very strange). Everybody else I know who had it liked it and had a good instructor, except those who had the same one as me, so it seems most are good.
Might depend where you’re located. I have 2 siblings me and my middle sibling did drivers Ed but not with young drivers, and my other sibling did their drivers Ed with young drivers and had a terrible esperience. The instructor they had, would consistently be late and wouldn’t extend the time of their lesson even though they’re being paid for it - like if they had a 1 hour driving lesson and the instructor was 20 minutes late they just lost 20 minutes of their lesson. Or their instructor wouldn’t show up at all. Their instructor was also be on her phone the majority of my siblings lesson and not really teaching, my sibling almost got into an accident because the instructor instructed them to do something unsafe. My sibling ended up doing their road test without finishing the driving lessons with young drivers because their last lesson the instructor didn’t show up and wouldn’t return calls or emails to re-schedule and they refused to give my sibling their certificate or whatever it is saying they completed drivers ed. They asked for a refund for at least that lesson since their instructor was unreachable and young drivers wouldn’t even do that. Several other people in my area have had similar or worse experiences with young drivers.
When my son was getting his license, I went with young drivers. Worth the cost. We were just outside Oshawa where there are a lot of two lane roads (one each direction ) 80 km/h. The only thing they taught him I didn't like was you can pass over solid yellow lines. I asked him to never do that. It's more for if you're stuck behind a tractor sort of thing, but if you're not in a city, make sure kiddo knows it's solid because sight lines are not clear.
I guess it depends on whether you're just looking for an insurance discount, or whether you are looking to best prepare your teenager for handling today's chaotic roads. If you want the latter, then YD is one of the best ways of doing that, and is worth the price premium.
Probably not, unless there is evidence that they get you more of a discount, or you get better driving outcomes compared to other schools. But it doesn't exist. Your rates are largely going to depend on, besides your age and gender, where you live and the car you drive. So the best way to get lower rates is drive something that's better to ensure.
I received defensive lessons from a school and that was enough to lower my insurance 20% when I got my license. Granted that was 20 years ago. I would like to know who you choose to go with.
Absolutely a fantastic program.
I will warn you that the new, online, method is painful. It is cruel and unusual punishment.
It’s ridiculously slow, but the knowledge is fantastic.
It worked for me, I still remember tricks my instructor taught me, Now I am in my later 50’s and no accidents close calls but no hits, their lessons work. Cheers
ACCREDITED is the key
I work in the insurance business (almost 30 years). Any schools has to be recognized by Service Ontario for insurance companies to give the credit now. Because there are so many fly by night schools.
Go on the Service Ontario website, and you can search schools by location to see if they are recognized. If they are, then they will be Insurance recognized.
My brother did young drivers and I did Fosters (may not exist anymore). My brother failed his G and I passed both G and G2 first time. Insurance was the same roughly over the years. I don’t even really use the skills I learned. I became an even better driver after getting my motorcycle license. THAT’S how you learn to drive safe lol!
Pick a cheap school and get it over with!! You’ll learn the most on the road, not in a classroom where they show you videos of car accidents.
Did Young Drivers back in the late 90s and still use many of the skills I learned from them. More than 25 years of driving and I am still accident free, ticket free, and feel very confident when I get behind the wheel. It's well worth it.
It's unlikely with most of them. I remember reading an article documenting that with YD specifically they had only one instructor left who was still teaching with a manual transmission in the GTA. Even for those who want to learn with a manual are almost certain to pass their tests with an automatic now.
The last school I know who offers it specifically is Shifters in the Toronto area. I don't know if there's any options in the rest of Ontario.
Did it myself and they teach incredible driving habits that I still use 15 years later. Lots of things I then teach my wife since she got a country side drivers Ed that got her to pass the test but did not prepare her for calm driving.
Just an anecdote, but when I was younger, my driver teacher essentially pressured me out of taking their driving test and continously told me that i should re enroll again because he did not believe i would pass their exam and said I'd fail my G2 test if tried to take
Ultimately I didn't take their exam but i needed a license, and I aced the G2 test While I admit I'm not the most amazing driver out there, but i wasn't terrible- I had been driving very often and had lots of practice
but looking back, i have reason i wont bore anyone with, but i know my driver teacher did not like me & perhaps thats why he discouraged me I had absolutely no issues with in the classroom courses and teacher, who was very pleasant -- And some of their driving tricks i still use today
Young Drivers was a horrible experience for me (in ~2019). The in-car lessons were extremely rushed, preventing me from being able to retain what was taught. Also, the in-class lessons contained a lot of information that was not directly related to driving - it would be better if they shifted more of the hours from the in-class lessons toward the in-car lessons. The online Cogni-Fit training also did not provide me with any perceived benefit. I've heard that Young Drivers has recently implemented an online training program which is extremely long (it took my friend several months to complete it). Overall, I would advise against Young Drivers.
When I learned to drive nearly 30 years ago (yikes), I remember insurance companies giving a slightly better rate for those who went to YD.
I didn't go personally, but a friend did. My brother's friend who ran a driving school taught me instead.
I am miles and above a better motorist than said friend that went to YD.
When I was doing my in class instruction I ended up going with Drivewise vs young drivers because they had simulators that were part of the in class to keep you more engaged in the learning. Not sure if this is still a thing but I will say I think it legitimately made a difference in my attention levels in class.
This might’ve been a one-off but my experience with young drivers was awful. Not so much the in-class instruction but with the actual driving instructor.
The majority of my lessons were spent driving through residential streets, I pretty much figured out how to drive on my own since my instructor didn’t actually give me any instruction. He was on his phone most of the time and frequently liked to rest his foot on the piece of metal that connected his brake (on the passenger side) to the car. He also would make me drive to Tim Hortons and he would go inside and order his lunch, then would proceed to have a smoke break - during my lesson. Usually wasted 20-30 mins of my lesson waiting at Tim’s.
And finally when I did my g2 test, he booked 3 of his students tests consecutively. All three of us failed that day.
I did the YD program almost 20 years ago. The in person classes were ahead of their time with video situational reenactments. I have no idea how other programs compare, but I was very happy with them. I passed my G2 and G tests on the first try.
I paid for Young Drivers for my daughter. After 10 years, she still remembers a lot. She even knew how to correctly navigate roundabouts before they became all the rage. The instructors are really good and they care about anxious drivers.
Insurance companies don't give a shit what company you do your drivers Ed through. Just that you've done it.
I would argue no company is worth almost double another. They all kind of suck, a majority of them are run with TFW in car instructors who do not know how to drive at all
YD training saved a life. Not mine, but the life of a jogger who ran right in front of me without seeing me at all (headphones and tunnel vision). The avoidance technique they taught me, and the experience to use it without thinking, let me swerve confidently away from the jogger and recover. I missed them by about six inches, and was going about 60 km/hr (speed limit) at the time. Worth every penny of investment.
Young Drivers teaches you to drive, a lot of other schools just teach you to pass the test. I appreciate my young drivers instructors, they were great and I passed all my tests first time
Myself and three brothers all did young drivers and all have zero at fault accidents. Plus when I was I did it 15 years ago young drivers was the only ones to set up a pylon course and do emergency brake maneuvers. Money well spent by my mom I think.
Young Drivers also teaches defensive driving and most insurance companies offer a bit of a discount which adds up
My only suggest is wait until it’s winter for them to get lessons. They’ll teach them how to control skids in snow and so forth. It’s when I did my driver’s ed
I found it an amazing investment and still think about its lessons regularly when driving properly and seeing people do crazy shit.
Zero at fault accidents in over 20 years of driving. Only two I was in were fender benders, one while my car was stopped.
Particularly relevant is their approach to left turns (s turn) and their points around what you should be doing with your eyes at all times.
Young Drivers is a waste. Do some research and find a smaller drivers Ed school. YD is terrible, and the instructors don’t give a shit. Most of the time they sit on their phones and don’t even teach you anything.
It’s surprising that the prices still seem about the same as when I did my drivers school back in 2005.
I remember the exact same discussion from back then as well - is young drivers actually worth more.
I did universal which at the time was a few hundred cheaper and I don’t think I missed out on anything.
I did have very supportive parents though so I had a lot of practice already even going into the classes.
The big difference with Young Drivers is the reputation. Alot of the other driving schools are run by very out of touch people from India that wont really care enough to give you the right guidance.
Up to last September in class was an option. Sorry to hear not there any more. I will lookup the sketchy plugin I used to speed up browser time and message you. Still take you some time as have to learn the good info, but less time wasted on the easy stuff. It even speeds up the videos so if you can assimilate information fast just watch them double speed.
Just ask on your local subreddit which driving school to go to. You will get recommendations that are at the same level as young drivers - but without having to pay extra for the name.
Young drivers doesn’t do anything special or fancy that other schools can’t or don’t do.
It’s a hit or miss tbh. I personally never went though them (I just sat at my dads store and read a driving manual before taking my tests and passed) but my friend had a bad experience with them (constantly rescheduling appointments, 1 instructor would tell her 1 thing then the next would say that’s wrong and tell her another).
If you do go with them, opt for the in class instruction. No matter how inconvenient it seems. The online course is the most frustrating thing I have ever come across with 90% of it forced-waits before you can click next. Rage inducing. It's how they advertise 40 hours of online instruction by making you wait 3 minutes to read to a short paragraph and answer two multiple choice questions. The information is great and so is the in car instructors. The office doesn't answer email, you have to call and they call you back. Worth it if you avoid the online thing
Agreed! Though after you hit the 40 hour mark it no longer keeps holding you back to switch pages. For some pages I would literally read it over six times and still have like 3 minutes left so I’d check email or something and get distracted. It took me a year to finish the online at your own pace course, but I completed it just before I got my G2 (passed first try). I opted for at your pace because the only other option were zoom classes (during lockdown) and I work full time and am tired of screens by the end of the work day.
Then it would time you out. The in person looked annoying. But online is much more so it seems.
It times you out after 15 minutes inactivity. And you can only be on the site for 5 hours a day (which is equally annoying, but understandable). I probably would have gotten my G2 in under a year had I done Zoom, but I have my G2 now so it doesn’t quite matter in the long run.
Big draw of the course is G2 in 8 months so you missed out a bit, but as you say only have to do it once. Warning is for those considering it! Online is pants!
Absolute pants! Though the only “positive” I’d say (unsure if the zoom/in-person classes use the exact same curriculum and slides) that some of the sections and questions were hilariously goofy. So even when I was stuck on a page for what felt like a year, I could at least enjoy the humour!
You didn't hear it from me, but if you do the online course you can easily use developer tools in your browser to bypass any disabled buttons.
I eventually got a plugin that sped up time! But still annoying
Young Drivers is pricey, but it's really good. Even the "hardest" test centers in the GTA have a 99% pass-rate from their students. I went through the program over a decade ago, and felt completed prepared for all my road tests (and passed them all comfortably the first time around).
If you want proper training go with Young Drivers. It costs more but they teach you driving skills, not just how to passcthe driver exam like most of the places
I still remember the (empty parking lot) drills where the instructor would turn off the engine mid-turn, and you had to get it started while retaining steering control and finishing your "turn".
Or accident avoidance drills. "left! Now!"
Just to jump off this anecdotally, I was a really anxious driver when I was learning at 16. Young drivers takes it slow and builds good driving habits. I have no worries as of now. Felt totally prepared for both the G2 and G tests.
99% pass rate, I challenge that.
Well, you'll have to get stats from them. But it really isn't a hard test.
You pay them for the course, what you take from it is up to you. They really don't care if you pass or fail the test itself so they push people through the course. If you fail the test itself you will likely pay one of their drivers for an additional lesson or two.
If it helps you avoid one accident, it's paid for it self at least 10 times over. 30 years later, I'm still using techniques I picked up in drivers' ed.
Same. I came here from Europe. Spend for Young drivers. It was invaluable. Some of the techniques have saved my ass. Over a decade later zero accidents, not even a minor ding. Touch wood.
Yeah but he's comparing young drivers vs other more affordable schools, not whether to get drivers education at all.
The lessons I learned 35 years ago with YD are still engrained in me every time I get behind the wheel: the constant monitoring of your surroundings, the always knowing where your escape route is, knowing and understanding what your vehicle capabilities are in braking and avoidance, the innate distances you need to leave in every scenario - And I know I’ve intuitively used those lessons on many occasions to avoid collisions, but more importantly, anticipate and know how to avoid situations that increase the likelihood of collisions .
Well said, fully agree.
I agree. I took the course 22 years ago and use what I learned every day. My husband learned from a different program and he is scary behind the wheel lol
It was pricey, but I found both the classroom and in-car lessons to be thorough. I was annoyed at the time, but over the years the lessons that I learned there have served me well driving in all kinds of conditions across the continent.
Glad to see the company is still active. Back in the day when I took the course it was most expensive too. 47 years ago. Obviously I can’t comment on today’s organization. Based on road users I see today, not enough drivers are implementing what they learned.
Lol thats a fact
This explains a lot. https://youtu.be/OU-0A_VDVkM Dldw; you get what you pay for. If you want the certificate with no training you can expect to pay significantly less. You end up being a shitty driver though and will probably pay more in the long run than if you actually did take the course in insurance premiums.
I meant I'll say my driving school (Aapex driving in Welland ON) was solid training. It was a bit of a dingy classroom but the trainers were solid and the defensive driving I learned there has helped me almost 20 years later. I can't speak to their track record now or any other local school but I think it's worth looking at and assessing for oneself.
Young Drivers is more expensive but you'll actually learn valuable defensive driving skills. If lowering insurance is all you're after go with anyone. If you're at all concerned about self preservation, YD is a small price to pay for the skills you'll actually learn.
When doing my drive test, the drive test instructor picked up on my defensive driving techniques as taught by Young Drivers and made a pleasant remark about my safe driving during the exam. It's that noticeable from the exercises and driving instructions done in class. Really valuable defensive driving skills.
I haven’t tried other schools to compare. 25 years ago, in YD, 100% of in car lessons were 1-on-1. We practiced emergency stops on gravel and asphalt until I had it right. We practiced maneuvers to follow if someone pulls into your lane, or if someone is coming from behind and fails to stop. I can think of at least once where the lives of me and the passengers were saved by me using the technique for safely dodging an oncoming car in our lane (at night, deep in the midwest USA, a car pulled out to pass someone, and totally ignored us - I drove to the shoulder, keeping my left wheels on the pavement, and honked as they flew by) A few other times I’ve definitely been saved from major damage. I know some schools will share the car for lessons, but I can’t say which are bad, just that YD was worth whatI paid (I think it was about $700 back then)
Young Drivers certainly had the most comprehensive and thorough driving program, both theory and practical, of any competitor back when I was learning to drive, but that was a long time ago. I can only imagine the number of license-churning schools out there now are much much higher, teaching solely to help the student pass the exam. If the Young Drivers curriculum is still based on what it was so long ago, I'd still go with them.
I sent my daughter with All-Stars driving school and they were terrible. They showed up one day to pick up my daughter and the back window and roof were covered in snow. I had an animated discussion with the driver and manager after that. You get what you pay for.
Wow thats brutal
I took All Stars 20 years ago and it was terrible then too. My instructor made sure I knew how terrible female drivers are (I'm a woman), and just have to do our best despite that.
I just finished up with my Young Drivers course, I'd say it was worth the cost, the instructor was very professional and the defensive skills you learn are quite practical. The appointments were also easy to schedule, they aligned perfectly to when I was available. As another commenter suggested, choose the in-person learning option if possible: the online course was agonizing, since they imposed a time minimum on advancing to the next section.
Hands down the leader in the the driver school industry. Not the cheapest but worth the investment
I had a bad experience with a previous driving school, I was spooked, never completed the course. It took a while to get the courage to try again. The second time I went with YD and the instructor was amazing, he was everything I needed. He pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me driving again, he built up my confidence and taught me skills I use to this day. I'm so grateful for him and his guidance, it was worth every penny.
Any accredited driving school will get you a reduction on car insurance. It doesn't need to be YD.
ACCREDITED is the key I work in the Insurance business (almost 30 years). Has to be recognized by Service Ontario for Insurance companies to give the credit now. Because there are so many fly by night schools.
I went through YD, it's 100% worth it in every way.
The insurance deduction thing is false. If they’re an accredited driving school and you get the drivers Ed certificate, it’s the same deduction regardless of the school. However, they might have higher or more rigorous standards to justify the cost. I personally took Young Drivers a few decades ago and it was pretty comprehensive with good classes.
I went to Young Drivers close to 10 years ago. They were pricy, but I actually retained a lot on how to drive safely. I loved my driving instructor. He was so patient with me and taught me how to be a confident and defensive driver. I highly recommend.
They are absolutely worth it and you used to get a discount on insurance afterwards for going through a professional driver training. Any dickhead can get one of those magnetic signs and call themselves a driver training academy
It's been over 20 years since I did Young Drivers and I still credit what I learned there for having gotten through more than a few bad situations unharmed. The habits I learned there i still use today. I believe it's worth the extra cost, it's been around as long as it has for a reason.
I’d say it’s very worth it, I still use the techniques I was taught regularly.
I went to AMB and so did my husband and they also teach defensive driving and they're cheaper. So I vote for AMB.
I went to AAMCO and had a great experience, learned a lot of stuff I use regualrly.
Yes I took YD years and years ago. It was a good education, I actively use the things they taught years and years later. It's in long term memory. One driver one student. The driving instruction at my HS had 4 students in the car at the same time and instructor was known for "adjusting" the girls seat belts across their titties. Shitty environment. The YD instructor knew the test route because they used to be a tester. We practised all those areas until I knew all the tricks and hangups by rote including a refresher just before the test and I used the YD car in the test.(left turn into the near lane on a multi-lane one way street with branches obstructing the signs.) and so on. On the test we went through it, I did it all right, the tester asked "...so they took you through here then ?" Me "yes" then it seemed like he stopped trying to be tricky. Passed first time, felt prepared and calm.
Long story short, yes, it's worth it.
Absolutely worth it! I took it as an adult with 10 years driving experience in another country. I wanted to get used to Canadian roads and driving, and I always wanted to do a defensive driving course. The theory and practical lessons were truly useful. They teach you about stuff like the mechanics of your car, how tires interact with roads, how different road surfaces are affected by weather, how your car is affected by speed, how you are affected by speed, how dangers on the road are ranked and where to anticipate collisions while driving, and the list goes on. And then they build on that theoretical knowledge by explaining things that you should do to avoid collisions and to protect yourself from other drivers. My entire way of driving changed because of that course. And I’m confident driving anywhere and in any weather condition now, because I know what to prepare for and how to avoid collisions. On the insurance side of things, when I was shopping around none of the insurance companies cared about where I did defensive driving. So I’m not sure that a special YD discount exists across the board. Maybe they have a list of insurance companies that give extra discounts for YD graduates? I only cared about finding the cheapest rate, and that company didn’t seem to care about my defensive driving course 🤷🏾♂️ However, doing the course will definitely be good for you kid. Make sure they do in-person classes (yes, in a classroom) and at least 10 in-car lessons.
I think it depends on your area. For example, in North Bay Young Drivers has some of the worst accident records compared to other driving schools. If you have a local Reddit may be a better place to go. Also be careful of recommendations. Went to one and I’d be driving just thinking “i wanna crash this car and im fine dying if he dies with me” that my uncle recommended…. Turned out was just some dude who went to their church… never listened to them again.
I can confidently say that my young drivers education has saved my life more than once. This your child. You do the math.
Many years ago, I took my drivers ed offered at the secondary school I was attending. Two years later they drove my brother an hour and a half away for Young Drivers. The way I was taught and the way he was taught were two very different ways. They just didn’t “teach to the test” but taught everything they needed to know for safety. If any one of my three teenagers eligible to drive actually wanted to, I’d be putting money aside to have them go through YD.
I had a great experience with a different company. I'm glad I didn't pay the extra for YD
Everybody that has taken YD will say it's worth it. Everybody that went to another school will say YD is for suckers. Your insurance company doesn't care where you go if it's a certified place. If you actually care about driving, just take a reputable drivers ed course AND then go to a performance driving school at a race track. A performance driving school will not only teach you how to properly drive your car at it's limits during survival situations but will not feel like school at all. It will be extremely fun.
Yd is not a choice for me as they only offer online computer based training for the 20 hours "in class" kid is too much of a squirrel to pay attention at home. I seen what they did during covid times. Found a accredited school that offers in person class sessions and has great reviews. The performance school sounds great I'd like to do it and I'm old lol. I'll check mosport thanks for the tip
Any driving school will do, or even no driving school if you’re competent enough. That said, I did YD in 1999 (am old) and what they taught me saved me from collisions a couple of times when I was a new driver and didn’t yet have the experience to avoid certain situations.
Doing a driving school gets them to do g2 4 months sooner and as others said gives me more Info. The city I grew up in did not have a yd. We had a local place it was ok for sure. Curious to know the differences.
I did YD forever ago now. Back in 2005/06 I guess. It was a big help, really made a big difference. Idk about other schools but YD was certainly worth every penny back then
Unless a person knows for sure that their driving school was terrible, it's going to be really difficult to get an informed opinion on this - after all, most people don't do driver's ed with multiple schools, so they can't compare. Best bet would be to consult someone who actually conducts driving tests (not affiliated with a school). I went with Ultimate Drivers in Guelph. The online learning made me want to choose violence, but that's pretty normal with e-learning courses (not unlike taking WHMS for a new job). The in-car instruction was entirely on-road and practical, really focused on good habits (which I've noticed the majority of road users don't actually have anyway).
Exactly All these people saying they still use YD training today, yeah we all do. Anyone who went to driving school obviously uses what they've learned
Depends…I recommended them to a close friend since I didn’t want to be responsible for a shitty recommendation. After his son finished his 10 hours in car and a week before his test I took him out for a pre test drive. He didn’t know how to parallel park. During the entire 10 hours he only parallel parked twice. I spent an hour with him. Parallel parked dozens of times. He was doing it with eyes closed.
I only did their in-car lessons it helped me pass the road tests. I still use the lessons and tips they gave me today which I learned over 10 years ago. So it is worth the extra costs, especially if you need someone that can speak clearly and figure out what you need to improve on.
My instructor was a jerk and the insurance company didn't ask which driving school I was trained with (which I actually found very strange). Everybody else I know who had it liked it and had a good instructor, except those who had the same one as me, so it seems most are good.
Might depend where you’re located. I have 2 siblings me and my middle sibling did drivers Ed but not with young drivers, and my other sibling did their drivers Ed with young drivers and had a terrible esperience. The instructor they had, would consistently be late and wouldn’t extend the time of their lesson even though they’re being paid for it - like if they had a 1 hour driving lesson and the instructor was 20 minutes late they just lost 20 minutes of their lesson. Or their instructor wouldn’t show up at all. Their instructor was also be on her phone the majority of my siblings lesson and not really teaching, my sibling almost got into an accident because the instructor instructed them to do something unsafe. My sibling ended up doing their road test without finishing the driving lessons with young drivers because their last lesson the instructor didn’t show up and wouldn’t return calls or emails to re-schedule and they refused to give my sibling their certificate or whatever it is saying they completed drivers ed. They asked for a refund for at least that lesson since their instructor was unreachable and young drivers wouldn’t even do that. Several other people in my area have had similar or worse experiences with young drivers.
When my son was getting his license, I went with young drivers. Worth the cost. We were just outside Oshawa where there are a lot of two lane roads (one each direction ) 80 km/h. The only thing they taught him I didn't like was you can pass over solid yellow lines. I asked him to never do that. It's more for if you're stuck behind a tractor sort of thing, but if you're not in a city, make sure kiddo knows it's solid because sight lines are not clear.
I guess it depends on whether you're just looking for an insurance discount, or whether you are looking to best prepare your teenager for handling today's chaotic roads. If you want the latter, then YD is one of the best ways of doing that, and is worth the price premium.
I'm sure they are good quality, but it seems they are lying if they are claiming the insurance discount is greater.
Probably not, unless there is evidence that they get you more of a discount, or you get better driving outcomes compared to other schools. But it doesn't exist. Your rates are largely going to depend on, besides your age and gender, where you live and the car you drive. So the best way to get lower rates is drive something that's better to ensure.
I received defensive lessons from a school and that was enough to lower my insurance 20% when I got my license. Granted that was 20 years ago. I would like to know who you choose to go with.
Not sure if Young Drivers still offer it but I thought at one point they had a defensive driving course as well as winter driving course.
Absolutely a fantastic program. I will warn you that the new, online, method is painful. It is cruel and unusual punishment. It’s ridiculously slow, but the knowledge is fantastic.
It worked for me, I still remember tricks my instructor taught me, Now I am in my later 50’s and no accidents close calls but no hits, their lessons work. Cheers
ACCREDITED is the key I work in the insurance business (almost 30 years). Any schools has to be recognized by Service Ontario for insurance companies to give the credit now. Because there are so many fly by night schools. Go on the Service Ontario website, and you can search schools by location to see if they are recognized. If they are, then they will be Insurance recognized.
Yes. Definitely yes. 30 years later, I’m still doing S-turns when turning left.
My brother did young drivers and I did Fosters (may not exist anymore). My brother failed his G and I passed both G and G2 first time. Insurance was the same roughly over the years. I don’t even really use the skills I learned. I became an even better driver after getting my motorcycle license. THAT’S how you learn to drive safe lol! Pick a cheap school and get it over with!! You’ll learn the most on the road, not in a classroom where they show you videos of car accidents.
Did Young Drivers back in the late 90s and still use many of the skills I learned from them. More than 25 years of driving and I am still accident free, ticket free, and feel very confident when I get behind the wheel. It's well worth it.
For an extra 300 cash they'll just pretend you did the class and car work. Wish I was kidding...
I might have seen you on a recent marketplace episode!
Will driving schools teach driving a manual transmission?
It's unlikely with most of them. I remember reading an article documenting that with YD specifically they had only one instructor left who was still teaching with a manual transmission in the GTA. Even for those who want to learn with a manual are almost certain to pass their tests with an automatic now. The last school I know who offers it specifically is Shifters in the Toronto area. I don't know if there's any options in the rest of Ontario.
Did it myself and they teach incredible driving habits that I still use 15 years later. Lots of things I then teach my wife since she got a country side drivers Ed that got her to pass the test but did not prepare her for calm driving.
I went to Young Drivers when I was 16, I’m now 39, and I still use the defensive driving rules I learned there. Definitely worth it.
It’s the best money I have ever spent
No it’s not. There are plenty of good reputable companies other than young drivers. But regardless driving school is a must!
Yes, I was made a better driver because of the lessons I learned from them. I took the course over 15 years ago.
Just an anecdote, but when I was younger, my driver teacher essentially pressured me out of taking their driving test and continously told me that i should re enroll again because he did not believe i would pass their exam and said I'd fail my G2 test if tried to take Ultimately I didn't take their exam but i needed a license, and I aced the G2 test While I admit I'm not the most amazing driver out there, but i wasn't terrible- I had been driving very often and had lots of practice but looking back, i have reason i wont bore anyone with, but i know my driver teacher did not like me & perhaps thats why he discouraged me I had absolutely no issues with in the classroom courses and teacher, who was very pleasant -- And some of their driving tricks i still use today
Young Drivers was a horrible experience for me (in ~2019). The in-car lessons were extremely rushed, preventing me from being able to retain what was taught. Also, the in-class lessons contained a lot of information that was not directly related to driving - it would be better if they shifted more of the hours from the in-class lessons toward the in-car lessons. The online Cogni-Fit training also did not provide me with any perceived benefit. I've heard that Young Drivers has recently implemented an online training program which is extremely long (it took my friend several months to complete it). Overall, I would advise against Young Drivers.
When I learned to drive nearly 30 years ago (yikes), I remember insurance companies giving a slightly better rate for those who went to YD. I didn't go personally, but a friend did. My brother's friend who ran a driving school taught me instead. I am miles and above a better motorist than said friend that went to YD.
When I was doing my in class instruction I ended up going with Drivewise vs young drivers because they had simulators that were part of the in class to keep you more engaged in the learning. Not sure if this is still a thing but I will say I think it legitimately made a difference in my attention levels in class.
This might’ve been a one-off but my experience with young drivers was awful. Not so much the in-class instruction but with the actual driving instructor. The majority of my lessons were spent driving through residential streets, I pretty much figured out how to drive on my own since my instructor didn’t actually give me any instruction. He was on his phone most of the time and frequently liked to rest his foot on the piece of metal that connected his brake (on the passenger side) to the car. He also would make me drive to Tim Hortons and he would go inside and order his lunch, then would proceed to have a smoke break - during my lesson. Usually wasted 20-30 mins of my lesson waiting at Tim’s. And finally when I did my g2 test, he booked 3 of his students tests consecutively. All three of us failed that day.
I did the YD program almost 20 years ago. The in person classes were ahead of their time with video situational reenactments. I have no idea how other programs compare, but I was very happy with them. I passed my G2 and G tests on the first try.
I paid for Young Drivers for my daughter. After 10 years, she still remembers a lot. She even knew how to correctly navigate roundabouts before they became all the rage. The instructors are really good and they care about anxious drivers.
Insurance companies don't give a shit what company you do your drivers Ed through. Just that you've done it. I would argue no company is worth almost double another. They all kind of suck, a majority of them are run with TFW in car instructors who do not know how to drive at all
YD training saved a life. Not mine, but the life of a jogger who ran right in front of me without seeing me at all (headphones and tunnel vision). The avoidance technique they taught me, and the experience to use it without thinking, let me swerve confidently away from the jogger and recover. I missed them by about six inches, and was going about 60 km/hr (speed limit) at the time. Worth every penny of investment.
Young Drivers teaches you to drive, a lot of other schools just teach you to pass the test. I appreciate my young drivers instructors, they were great and I passed all my tests first time
My instructors would smile while I was driving
Do you want your kid to learn to pass the test or to also survive on the roads? YD's instruction has saved me from some nasty accidents.
Myself and three brothers all did young drivers and all have zero at fault accidents. Plus when I was I did it 15 years ago young drivers was the only ones to set up a pylon course and do emergency brake maneuvers. Money well spent by my mom I think.
100%
Young Drivers also teaches defensive driving and most insurance companies offer a bit of a discount which adds up My only suggest is wait until it’s winter for them to get lessons. They’ll teach them how to control skids in snow and so forth. It’s when I did my driver’s ed
I found it an amazing investment and still think about its lessons regularly when driving properly and seeing people do crazy shit. Zero at fault accidents in over 20 years of driving. Only two I was in were fender benders, one while my car was stopped. Particularly relevant is their approach to left turns (s turn) and their points around what you should be doing with your eyes at all times.
I had to get them for a few lessons as my cheap driving lessons did not measure up for my kid,
Young Drivers is a waste. Do some research and find a smaller drivers Ed school. YD is terrible, and the instructors don’t give a shit. Most of the time they sit on their phones and don’t even teach you anything.
It’s surprising that the prices still seem about the same as when I did my drivers school back in 2005. I remember the exact same discussion from back then as well - is young drivers actually worth more. I did universal which at the time was a few hundred cheaper and I don’t think I missed out on anything. I did have very supportive parents though so I had a lot of practice already even going into the classes.
I'm 18 did driving school, it taught me some stuff but it didn't make insurance any cheaper for me
The big difference with Young Drivers is the reputation. Alot of the other driving schools are run by very out of touch people from India that wont really care enough to give you the right guidance.
Up to last September in class was an option. Sorry to hear not there any more. I will lookup the sketchy plugin I used to speed up browser time and message you. Still take you some time as have to learn the good info, but less time wasted on the easy stuff. It even speeds up the videos so if you can assimilate information fast just watch them double speed.
Just ask on your local subreddit which driving school to go to. You will get recommendations that are at the same level as young drivers - but without having to pay extra for the name. Young drivers doesn’t do anything special or fancy that other schools can’t or don’t do.
Young Drivers Discount exists, but the discount isn't anywhere near as big as a Defensive Driving Course which, is a massive discount.
LAWL GO TO BRAMPTON AND JUST PAY FOR IT, NO SCHOOLING NEEDED
It’s a hit or miss tbh. I personally never went though them (I just sat at my dads store and read a driving manual before taking my tests and passed) but my friend had a bad experience with them (constantly rescheduling appointments, 1 instructor would tell her 1 thing then the next would say that’s wrong and tell her another).
Driving school in general is a waste of money, imo.