Mercedes-Benz has always been a pioneer in vehicle safety, bringing must-haves such as three-point seat belts, airbags and anti-lock brakes to the industry. With vehicle crashes being the number one cause of teen deaths year after year, the time has come to take a new approach. As it has always been, safety will be at the foundation of the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy with our innovative integrated driver’s education approach. We will take full advantage of the Graduated Driver Licensing framework, utilize coaching rather than instruction-based teaching methodology, and encourage parental involvement throughout the entire process.
The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy will offer a variety of programs for teens at various stages of their learning process. The Integrated Program is the comprehensive soup-to-nuts program for teens at the very beginning of their learner phase. For those who already hold a learner’s permit, we will offer the On-Road Program. We will also provide a Customized Program for those who are already licensed drivers.
Our Integrated Program will feature a unique combination of engaging online courses, comprehensive on-road training and interactive classroom sessions to teach teen drivers to become safe drivers. The complete Integrated Program should span the required 6 month mandatory learner period, and take advantage of that time to properly incorporate state of the art teaching methods, parents, coaches, and to best prepare young drivers for the road. The Graduated Driver Licensing framework then includes night time and passenger restrictions, to further increase the likelihood of a safe driving experience.
Our On-Road Program consists of 10 hours of behind-the-wheel coaching for those who have already passed their written test and hold a learner’s permit. Our coaching approach goes above and beyond the legal requirements, and is designed to be more effective than traditional instruction. The learner driver is brought into the decision making process, rather than mechanically following instructions, which more closely represents the skills they will need when on the road as a solo driver.
For those who already hold a license, but would like to enhance their skills or desire to continue their driving education, we will offer a Customized Program. This program will begin with a 2 hour assessment drive after which the driving coach will create a customized driving plan based on that individual driver’s needs.
California roads present unique challenges, and along with the distractions and pressures that face our teens today, there is a real opportunity to take Driver Education to the next level. Mercedes-Benz builds some of the world’s safest cars… it’s now time to build the safest drivers.
The online modules will be interspersed with the initial behind the wheel hours - this will enable us to deliver the theory in an interactive online class, then allow the students to reinforce what they've learned behind the wheel with a Driving Coach. About a month into the program, teens will take their written test and earn their learner's permit. After that they can begin supervised driving with their parents, as they continue to complete the more advanced behind the wheel driving scenarios with the instructor, including an interim assessment and night-time driving). This program will include a total of 16 hours of behind-the-wheel coaching, as opposed to the bare minimum of 6 hours mandated by the State of California. Towards the end of the learner period, the Academy’s interactive classroom sessions will put our teens to the test, with exercises requiring tough decisions to be made to deal with potentially high-risk driving situations. These classroom sessions aim to prepare learner drivers for the sometimes difficult transition to safe solo driving.
Our Integrated Program also covers issues that go beyond vehicle control and traffic rules such as insight into the risks of distracted driving, and hands-on car care. Parental involvement is another key aspect of our Integrated Program. Before supervised practice begins, there will be a 90 minute on-road driving assessment with the teen and our driving coach, observed by the teen’s parent/guardian from the rear seat. The purpose of this assessment is to give the parent/guardian the tools they need to structure their supervised practice hours. We will also provide an orientation session for parents and teens to explain the rules and rationale of Graduated Drivers’ Licensing in California, and review our program in depth. Throughout our program, parents will be updated on how their child is progressing through the use of a logbook which will be completed by the student and Coach after each lesson. Parents can also contribute to the process by filling in the logbook once their supervised practice sessions kick in.
