Posted by Trent Kelly on March 03, 2023
Whether you are a brand new driver or have years of experience under your belt, it is always beneficial to take a driving safety course. Learning how to be a level-headed and defensive driver is one of the best tools available to keep you and your passengers safe when you are driving through Austin. The good news is that there are several options available for those wanting to become better defensive drivers. 
Being a safe and defensive driver is more important than ever in the Austin area. The city saw the following in a recent year:
- 12,433 reported crashes
- 3,304 suspected minor injuries from crashes
- 511 suspected serious injuries
- 113 fatalities from traffic crashes
You might make the right decisions on the road – but other drivers might not. With the right safety courses and skills, you might be better equipped to react in a manner that avoids a car accident.
All of this said, there is always the chance another driver is negligent, and you cannot avoid a crash. If you suffer injuries due to another party’s negligence, you deserve full compensation for your losses. Never wait to discuss a possible claim with an Austin car accident lawyer.
Car Driving Courses
For many of us, driving a car is as natural as eating or sleeping, especially if you have years of experience. However, there are always new perspectives and theories to learn about what constitutes safe driving. It is especially critical for new drivers to take courses and develop defensive habits right from the start. These habits often stay with drivers for their entire driving career, which makes us all safer on the road.
Top-Rated Driving School Options in Austin 2023
Below are some of Yelp’s higher-rated driving safety courses in the Austin area:
Pflugerville Driving School
This school has courses for teens, new adult drivers, defensive driving, and more. They offer all courses in Spanish and English, and they have online and parent-led courses available, as well.
Aceable
This course caters to both new teen drivers and adults seeking to hone defensive driving skills. They provide interactive courses to keep your attention and try to make the course materials interesting, stimulating, and fun for drivers of all ages and levels.
Wilco Driving School
This school offers all levels of driving courses for teens and adults. They help with road testing, simulated driving practice, and in-person driving instruction to begin driving or learn defensive driving skills.
Interstate ABC Driving School
This school provides courses for all ages in both English and Spanish. They also have options for parent-led courses, including an active parent-taught behind-the-wheel course.
Target Driving School
This program provides a curriculum to prepare for online testing, as well as an in-car guide for new drivers. Drivers can download the app and take their materials with them when they are behind the wheel. The program also boasts a 99.9 percent pass rate.
Austin Driving School
This school offers materials to prepare teen and adult driving students for the online driver’s exam, as well as the DPS-authorized road test. They have 18 convenient locations throughout the State of Texas to best serve new drivers and those wanting to learn defensive driving skills.
Funnybone Driving
This program focuses on teaching defensive driving skills to drivers of all ages and experience levels. They have options for online or classroom instruction, and they will issue a defensive driving certificate upon passing.
National Driver Training
This multi-state program provides online and in-vehicle instruction for teens and adults. The curriculum is in line with state and DPS standards and testing guidelines to best prepare you to drive on Texas roads.
Motorcycle Driving Courses
Motorcyclists take extra risks when they ride, as they have no protections of a standard car or truck. They are particularly vulnerable to serious traumatic injuries, and many motorcyclists suffer multiple injuries in a single crash.
Drivers often have difficulty seeing motorcycles – especially if they are not paying proper attention. To stay out of harm’s way, every motorcyclist should take a safety course.
Austin Moto Academy
Everyone at the Moto Academy has a passion for riding on two wheels – and doing so safely. They offer basic rider courses for new motorcyclists, as well as courses for intermediate riders to increase their safety.
Total Rider
This school aims to help beginner and intermediate riders become the most complete and safe motorcycle riders possible. There are four different locations, and they allow intermediate course participants to ride their own motorcycles.
Rally Car Driving School
Many people dream of rally racing one day, but they do not know how to maneuver rally cars, as they are quite different from regular passenger vehicles. If you are in this situation, Rally Ready Driving School is located only 45 minutes from Austin in Dale, Texas. The program has rally courses and hosts events for its former students to rally.
Truck Driving School
Commercial truck drivers have some of the greatest responsibilities of anyone on the roads in Austin. These drivers operate huge, heavy vehicles – often at high speeds on the interstates. It is more important than ever for these truck drivers to have the proper safety training and courses.
Community Truck Driving School is a top-rated safety course for truckers in the Austin area. They are an accredited CDL training program with an emphasis on safety.
Why are Driving Courses Important in Austin?
Anyone who drives in Austin knows it can be hectic and stressful. Close to 600,000 people regularly drive in the city, commuting to and from work, taking kids to school, and spending time exploring all Austin has to offer. The fact that Austin is the state capital and home to the University of Texas only makes the roads more crowded.
With all of these drivers rushing to get places at nearly any time of the day or night, it is no surprise that people make mistakes or poor judgment calls. It is all too easy to become impatient with congestion and be tempted to engage in speeding, tailgating, or other traffic violations and aggressive driving behaviors. Even if you keep a level head, others will certainly be frustrated and act out while driving.
When you have additional driving education, especially regarding defensive driving, you are less susceptible to the temptation of aggressive driving. You are also trained to identify when another driver might pose a threat to you.
Defensive drivers know how to use caution to avoid risky situations. This is not only an inherent trait – it can be learned by taking a defensive driving course. There is always the chance another driver will hit you, but you can increase your odds of staying safe if you have the right driving education.