Are you one of those who might be thinking: “Driving school? It’s expensive and unnecessary! My dad can teach me how to drive.” Yes, you can learn driving from someone who knows how to drive and a long-time driver at that. However, nothing beats getting driving education from professional instructors. Not to mention that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) now requires a driving course certificate before it can accept and process license applications.
Here are the reasons why attending a driving school is worth your money.
Why You Should Attend Driving School in the Philippines
It’s a Must to Secure a Driver’s License
If you want a driver’s license, then attending a driving school in the Philippines is a must. All LTO office sites now require a Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) certificate prior to issuance of a driver’s license.
All applicants for a student permit, including those with foreign and expired student permits are required to attend a 15-hour driving course from an LTO-accredited driving school, an authorized driving school instructor, or from any LTO-Driver Education Center.
In case you already have a student permit issued from August 3, 2020, onwards, you will also be required to take the aforementioned course as a requirement to the application for a non-professional or professional driving license.
Learn from Professional Driving Instructors
Professional courses are intended to educate more than merely how to start and maneuver a car. There are driving schools in the Philippines that have professional instructors who are TESDA-certified and LTO-accredited. When you get trained by a certified driving instructor, you can expect to gain both theoretical and practical knowledge, which is something you won’t have if you get trained by a family member or a friend.
Get Structured Driving School Training
Instructors use a systematic method that covers both theoretical and practical driving situations. With such curriculum, it will be easier for you to understand the fundamentals of driving a vehicle.
With structured training, instructors can teach you defensive driving techniques that can reduce your risk of getting into an accident. Structured training will help you gain the proper skills to have better driving habits.
Another skill that you can learn from a driving school is road awareness. Road awareness helps you recognize situations, what you need to do before an accident happens, traffic laws, road safety, and traffic signs.
Be Knowledgeable about Cars
There is nothing more frustrating than being clueless about car maintenance. Questions like “how do you know if there are engine issues?”, and “what do you need to check before you drive out your vehicle?” are just some of the few concerns of first-time car owners.
No need to worry because such questions are discussed in a driving school. The curriculum includes troubleshooting and car maintenance that will enable you to spot the issues and help lessen the chances of getting into an accident.
Get Assistance for Your Driver’s License Application
One good advantage of being enrolled in a driving school is getting help on your driver’s license application. Some driving schools offer assistance for student permit and driver’s license application as one of their services. Better check this service with your prospective driving school.
Boost Your Confidence Level Behind the Wheel
Definitely, confidence on the road is a must for every driver. Hesitation, erratic choices, and lack of confidence are the sure recipe for accidents. Training from a professional instructor can increase your level of confidence as you will be taught how to avoid mistakes.
List of LTO-Accredited Driving Schools in the Philippines
Here are LTO-accredited driving schools which you can consider. Check each one out to see which one fits your location and budget.
- A-1 Driving School
- Honda Safety Driving Center
- Precision Driving School
- Smart Driving School
- Universal Driving School
- Socialites Driving School
Final Thoughts
Being enrolled in a driving school may be costly. However, you need to look at it from an investment point of view. Getting trained by a professional instructor is a smart investment to gain driving confidence, proper skills, road knowledge, and more importantly – a smart investment in your safety.
