The Ultimate Driver Ed Program

  STATE INSPECTED DUAL CONTROLLED CARS AND STATE LICENSED DRIVING SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS-  ALL OUR CARS HAVE AN INSTRUCTOR SIDE BRAKE AND MIRRORS FOR THE DRIVING INSTRUCTOR TO KEEP THE STUDENT'S SAFE AND HELP THEM BE AWARE OF ALL TRAFFIC APROACHING FROM THE REAR AND SIDES.  ALL OUR CARS HAVE APPROPRIATE STUDENT DRIVING SIGNS ON THEM AS WELL.  OVER 25 YRS EXPERIENCE.

 We are the only school that we are aware of that actually has pre-planned driving experiences and lessons for it's students to ensure they progress comfortably and maximize their driver education experience.   We will make a difference and teach our students to drive safely and defensively.  We constantly teach attitude and responsibility throughout the course.  You can see how prepared our lessons are and how the progression from each driving lesson will help each student not only feel comfortable and more confident, but how it will enable them to be a better driver as well.

During the first in car lesson- Driving lesson number one: 

We will be staying in the Greater Portland area and we start out in low traffic type areas until the student feels confident and comfortable behind the wheel.  Our instructors understand that new drivers will be nervous and we will be very patient as each student learns to overcome fears and gains experience.  focus areas: car controls and switches, tracking straight, visual skills- aim high in steering, stopping, basic turns and proper steering, safe following distances to avoid tailgaiting, and begin some backing maneuvers.

Each student will first learn about the car itself and the location of all the vehicle controls.  No student of mine will not know how to do basic things like turn on the turn signals, wipers, heater, parking lights, headlights and put the lights onto high and low beams, use the emergency brake and so forth.  If a school didn't teach the student how to turn on the wipers and headlights and how to go from low to high beams...What else did they leave out?

The student will then learn to do basic maneuvers like driving straight- braking smooth- keeping a safe following distance- making correct right and left turns- All of which will be done in low traffic neighborhood areas so students will not be nervous and can learn to feel comfortable behind the wheel of the car.

Once a student feels comfortable and has mastered the basic manuevers we will begin to drive in traffic and work on visual skills and safe following distances.  They will learn to anticipate what other drivers will do and learn about safely sharing the road.  If they are ready they will do a few turn-abouts to begin learning how to back up and still control the car.

Driving lesson number two- Driving in Portland, Westbrook and Falmouth areas-

focus areas: vehicle controls, proper stops and turns, speed limits, proper following distances, intersections and traffic lights, turn-abouts in driveways, parallel parking and straight line backing.

We will first review all the vehicle controls and switches and students will again work the parking lights, headlights/ both high and low beams, wipers, heater, emergency brake and so forth.

Students will then work on basic turns and making proper stops.  Again, once the student is comfortable, we will then move on to traffic lights and intersections- learning about both protected and unprotected turns.  Additional turn-abouts will be made to improve backing skills by have the students pull into driveways and turn around and go the other way.  We will not just drive straight ahead!  Students who are ready will begin learning how to do the parallel parking procedure and straight line backing- required for their road test.

Driving lesson number three- Driving in downtown Portland and South Portland areas-

focus areas: review vehicle controls, proper turns and stops, visual skills and eye habits, intersections and both protected and unprotected turns at traffic lights, speed limits, traffic signs, driving in traffic and multi-lane roads, making lane changes, parallel parking and straight line backing.

After turning on headlights /high and low beams- wipers, heater etc. we will begin by heading for intersections with traffic lights and working on both protected and unprotected turns.  Students will then learn to to drive in traffic and experience multi-lane roads.  They will work on visual skills and making lane changes.  Students will get more parallel parking and straight line backing practice as well as do more turn-abouts in driveways.  Students who are ready will begin highway driving- merging on the highway and learning to control the car at higher speeds.  Again visual skills and proper following distances will be stressed throughout the lesson.

Driving lesson number four- Driving to either Yarmouth / Freeport or Saco / Biddeford areas-

focus areas: review of vehicle controls, students will check engine oil and other fluids, backing skills and turn-abouts, multi-lane roads, lane changes, highway driving and merging as well as changing lanes at higher speeds, controlling speeds, proper stops, traffic light intersections, parallel parking, straight line backing, parking lot spaces.

After the vehicle fluid levels have been checked students will head to multi-lane roads and perform some lane change maneuvers and then we will merge onto the highway and do lane changes there as well.  Students will learn to drive in unfamiliar traffic areas and work on improving their visual skills and general overall awareness of what is around them.  While the main focus will be on higher speed driving we will still practice additional parallel parking and backing maneuvers.  Students will begin to practice pulling into and out of parking lot spaces.

Driving lesson number five- Driving all around the Greater Portland Area and South Portland Maine Mall area

focus areas: Checking fluid levels, highway driving, lane changes, parallel parking, additional parking lot spaces both parking and backing out, general overall driving and visual skills, and controlling speeds.

Students will begin by turning on vehicle controls and checking fluid levels before entering the roads.  We will be reviewing every topic and doing general driving throughout the Portland and Maine Mall area.  Merging onto the highway, multiple lane roads, maintaining speeds, lane changes, parallel parking, straight line backing, parking in parking lots will all be reviewed.  Parents are asked to ride along and observe one of the final driving lessons as part of the parental involvement program.

As you can see Vance's Driving School has a well planned system of scheduled skills and driving situations for our students to master.  No other school that we are aware of has a completely thought out and pre-planned areas of focus to help students develop their driving skills.  Remember- you do get what you pay for and at Vance's Driving School we do give you value for your money and we really do care about each and every student we have the privilege to work with. 

Our goal is not to be the biggest nor the cheapest-  We simply want to be the best and will work hard to see that we do accomplish our goal!  We want to earn your business and your trust through our reputation in the community.  Nobody will work harder and NOBODY will teach as much as we do.  We have services that will go beyond the student obtaining their learners permit as well.  Our cars and review lessons are available to help each student pass their driving test when the time comes.

Richard Vance- Owner/founder of The Ultimate Driver Ed Program