By Audrey Lovell, Staff Writer
Today’s the day… your sixteenth birthday. You have been waiting to drive for as long as you can remember. You can go wherever you want, whenever you want. Finally, you have freedom. This might be the case in a normal world, but due to COVID-19 there’s a long list of students patiently waiting to get their learner’s permit or license.
The driver’s education process is always stressful, even without COVID-19. In North Carolina, 30 hours of classroom instruction is required plus an additional 6 hours behind the wheel. That still doesn’t account for the many hours spent studying in preparation for the DMV Learners Permit or License test.
Drivers education in the classroom was put on hold from March 16 to Sept. 8. Most driver’s training classes have been moved online or taken away completely making it very difficult to find an available class.
Students are now able to attend the driver’s education class at First Flight High School taught by Jackie Scruggs.
Sophomore Courtney Beasley was one of many students who started driver’s education through the school back in March, until it was shut down.
“We just picked up where we left off,” Beasley said when asked about her return to the previously cancelled driver’s education class.
For most Dare County students this would usually be the easiest option, it’s through the school and close to home, but getting into a class will most likely take months, which is less than ideal.
Due to this heavy backlog, students and parents are looking outside the box for classes other than the school provided driver’s education classes. Freshman Katie Kilburn is one of those students. Kilburn attended Street Smart Driving school, which is only a short drive from FFHS, in Wanchese, North Carolina.
“Luckily we got in pretty easily through the new driving school, now she is booked until February,” Kilburn said.
Street Smart was opened in October and has one big difference from most other schools right now, it’s in person.
“We were outside most of the time, they had a bunch of different tables and we kept our masks on and tried to keep distanced,” Kilburn said.
Online class options also don’t have to be local. Students are able to take any class in North Carolina online to qualify for their Learners Permit.
Another option students are utilizing is Chappell Driving School located in Bertie County, North Carolina. Betsy Chappell’s driving school is solely owned and operated by herself, so it can be more difficult to book a spot.
“I opened my Winter/Spring schedule on November 1st and I am already booked through June 2021,” Betsy Chappell said when asked about how booked her classes are.
“20 students in one month is all I can do by myself and be able to finish everyone in a class before starting another class (my personal rule) and have a home life,” Chappell said.
Price also plays a factor in how students choose which class to take.
“The current cost through the public school system in Dare County is $65.00; which includes classroom and behind the wheel,” Scruggs said.
Our school offered drivers education as the lowest price available, but students are willing to pay extra to get their permit as soon as possible.
“There is a $50 deposit to hold the spot and the remaining $250 is due on or before the first day of class,” Chappell said.
Although not everyone may approve of the higher prices or the long waiting period, there is one thing these younger students all agree on. They are desperate to be able to drive as soon as possible.
“I was really upset when the class just shut down due to COVID-19 because we were already more than halfway finished with the class and everything was going good and I’d be able to get my permit on my birthday, but since Covid slowed the class down I had to get my permit 7 months later than I was supposed to,” Beasley said.
Sophomore Audrey Lovell can be reached at 23lovellau71@daretolearn.org.
