Due to Covid, Wake County and many other school districts are experiencing a backup on driver’s ed classes and Behind the Wheel (BTW) instruction.
The update posted on the LRHS website states, “we anticipate spring classroom registration materials/dates to be available between December 10-15.” There will be no January classes and only 1 session per month for February-May.
BTW is 5-6 months delayed for Leesville students, as the school is still trying to get April and May students scheduled.
If families have the money to do so, they may also schedule BTW privately through Jordan Driving School.
Marissa Sciortino, a sophomore at Leesville, started taking Drivers Ed on November 1, 2021. The delay for BTW “will [make it] harder for me to find a ride to school… so that’s not very convenient,” typed Sciortino.
“For a lot of teenagers, getting a driver’s license when they turn 17 or even 18 has become much more common. And recent studies show they have a few reasons to put off getting their license,” saidIDriveSafley.
Teens having less money to buy a car or pay for gas has hindered some from getting their license as soon as they turn 16.
According to Swerve Driving School “Drivers who got their licenses at age 18 received, on average, 3x as many citations. Drivers who never took classes were 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal wreck than people who began driving at 16”
This delay can impact not only teens’ plans for driving throughout high school, but also their safety and others’ safety on the road.
If you have any questions about driver’s ed you can email leesvilledrivered@aol.com.
