Oakland, Calif., (August 10, 2010)—Across the country state shortfalls are putting the brakes on drivers ed classes. Millions of teens about to start the school year with expectations of becoming licensed drivers are seeking alternatives to fulfill their state mandated drivers education requirement.

What was once routinely offered as part of standard high school curriculum is going the way of the Dodo. “As school district after school district is being forced to reduce expenditures, they’re increasingly dissolving their drivers ed programs,” says Gary Tsifrin of DriversEd.com. “We’re seeing record numbers of districts, educators, and students alike embracing the quality and cost effectiveness of online drivers ed.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) strongly supports curriculum standards that call for both more effective classroom instruction and more hours of behind the wheel training. The agency’s findings show that mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers.

Taking an accredited drivers ed course is the first step toward earning a driver’s license. DriversEd.com’s online drivers ed course is DMV-licensed and fulfills the drivers education classroom requirement mandated by most states. The interactive curriculum uses the latest technology to engage and educate students at their own pace, on their own schedule.

Getting a drivers license is a significant milestone, it means freedom, independence, and responsibility. “Driving is more nuanced and arduous than it appears and the more practice behind the wheel, the better the driver,” adds Tsifrin. DriversEd.com also offers in-car driving lessons that teach critical defensive driving skills.

The DriversEd.com drivers ed course provides the only course accredited by the Road Safety Educators’ Association, the Driving School Association of the Americas, and the International Association for Driver Education. Additionally, the course is licensed by the Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Public Safety (DPS), Education (DOE) Driver Services (DDS), and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) where applicable.

Focusing exclusively on driver safety education DriversEd.com is the largest and most visited online drivers education site in America. The company has been providing high-quality, state-approved online courses since 1997 and has helped over 2.1 million students become safer, more confident drivers.

#####