DRIVERS LICENSE QUICK GUIDE

The 9 Steps in Obtaining your Drivers Licence 1 Apply for a Learner's Permit (16 years of age) 2 Take the Agganis Pre-Permit Test 3 Choose a Driving School 4 Enroll in a Driver Education Program (~16 years, three months of age) 5 Schedule Behind-the-Wheel Training 6 Complete Behind-the-Wheel Training 7 Prepare for and Take the Road Test 8 Get Behind the Wheel 9 Understand Restrictions & Penalties (under 18 years of age) Learner's Permit Quick Guide Agganis Driving School has prepared this guide to teach you about obtaining your Massachusetts driving privileges. Carefully reviewing each section will help you to: • Get the most out of your learning experiences as a new driver. • Pass your tests on the first attempt, saving you time and money. • Become a more educated and safer driver. • Significantly reduce your chances of receiving traffic violations. • Avoid the most common reason for motor vehicle crashes — driver error. For more information, please contact Agganis or the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The RMV is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursdays 10 a.m. 7 p.m.). You can reach the RMV Transaction and Information Center at 617-351-4500. 1) Apply for a Learner's Permit   Planning your first trip to the RMV to take your Learner's Permit Test? Please review the following information:   Taking the Test Learner's Permit Tests are conducted daily. Plan on arriving at the RMV at least 1 hour before closing. • The test consists of 25 random, computer-generated questions. • You must correctly answer at least 18 questions in 25 minutes to pass. • You take the test at a touch-screen computer station. Requirements In addition to passing the RMV's test ($30 per test), you must meet the following requirements: • Be at least 16 years old. • Provide an original birth certificate and/or passport. • Provide an original social security card. • Fill out a learner's permit application (ideally, before you're waiting in line). License-Related Fees You may pay your license fee ($20 application fee and $50 fee for five-year photo license) before or after taking the Learner's Permit Test. Assuming you pass the test, the advantages of prepay are: • You won't have to make another trip to the RMV. • After taking and passing your road test, your permit will become a temporary license and you'll receive your plastic license in the mail in seven to 10 days. 2) Take the Agganis Pre-Permit Test   Before applying for the RMV Learner's Permit Test, Agganis Driving School recommends you study the Massachusetts Drivers Manual and complete our pre-permit tests. These tests allow you to practice and study via the convenience of the Internet. We're the only local driving school offering this valuable service to our customers. You can purchase from one to 10 of our online pre-permit tests. Each test has 25 of the same types of questions you'll find on the RMV test. And you get 25 minutes to finish, just like with the RMV test. (Remember: A common reason for failure is an inability to complete the RMV's questions in time.) We give you the flexibility to take the same test multiple times or to take up to 10 different tests. You'll acquire the knowledge and confidence to increase your chances of passing the RMV test the first time. Plus, you'll become a smarter, safer and more aware driver — today and for the rest of your life. Learn more about our online pre-permit tests. 3) Choose a Driving School   Once you've passed the Learner's Permit Exam, you're ready for the next step: selecting an appropriate driver education program. You must attend and successfully complete a program at a licensed Massachusetts driving school to receive your driver's license before you are 18 years of age.   Please keep in mind that not all driving schools are created equal. In fact, the training you receive and the services you are offered can vary quite a bit. At Agganis Driving School, we offer the most comprehensive driver training available in New England. All successfully graduates of our program also receive a substantial discount on their automobile insurance — up to $1,100.   If you are a parent, we strongly recommend participating in the required two-hour parent class before investing in a driver education program. It's like taking a car for a test drive before making the purchase. During the parent class, you'll be able to learn about what is offered and what you should expect throughout the course of your child's driver training program.   Important Questions to Ask If an Agganis Driving School is not located near you, please ask the following questions in choosing a driver education provider: • When did the driving school receive its license to operate? • Is the school bonded and insured? They should be bonded at $50,000 and also carry a $3-$5 million umbrella policy (95% of schools do not carry sufficient coverage). • Does the school have a website and/or brochure that explains what they offer, including all program fees? • How many instructional vehicles does the school own? This impacts how soon you can schedule driving lessons. • What type of grading method or evaluation processes are used for the behind-the-wheel training portion of the program? Nearly all schools lack these elements. • What type of training methods and materials are used and issued during the classroom presentation? Ninety-five percent of schools are lecture- and video-based. • What is the school's policy if you fail the license examination (road test) after completing the program? 4) Enroll in a Driver Education Program Massachusetts laws allow you to enroll in a driver education program at 15 years and nine months of age. As tempting as it may be, don't rush into it! Students who enroll too soon have a much more difficult time retaining much of what they have covered during the classroom portion of the program. At Agganis Driving School, we recommend that that you begin the classroom portion closer to 16 years and three months of age. Over the past nearly four decades, this has statistically proven to significantly improve the student's ability to retain the information presented throughout the program and greatly reduce their chances of being involved in a crash! Waiting to enroll in a driver education program has proven to have a positive effect on each step of the license process — and to ensure your best chances of passing your road test on the first attempt! 5) Schedule Behind-the-Wheel Training   Whoa! We all know you've been waiting a long time to get behind the wheel. But don't rush into it. By taking your time and educating yourself, you (and just as important, Mom and Dad) will have a much more pleasant and successful experience during this most nerve-wracking of steps. Agganis Driving School recommends you begin the process by scheduling two driving lessons per week. This will consist of a total of four-and-a-half hours of training (three hours of behind-the-wheel training and one to one-and-a-half hours of observing another student who is training). At Agganis, we do our best to keep each lesson to about two hours. However, a number of factors can influence lesson length, such as traffic, location and the students' abilities. During each lesson, students will receive a 50-point evaluation form. This document records all of the behind-the-wheel and observation time to ensure the student receives at least the required 12 hours of behind-the-wheel time and six hours of observation time before being certified as successfully completing our program. Hint: Schedule these lessons so that you can take your road test within two weeks of their completion. Any longer than two weeks has proven to increase the rate of failure.   Remember: The parent class must be complete before scheduling your behind-the-wheel training. 6) Complete Behind-the-Wheel Training Agganis Driving School suggests you complete the classroom portions of the driver education program before getting behind the wheel. This will enable you to develop a much clearer understanding of the rules of the road — and of what will be expected of you during your behind-the-wheel training. Also, please be sure to begin your behind-the-wheel training with a licensed and certified driving instructor. This should take place in a legally registered and fully insured driving school vehicle that is a) clearly labeled as a student driver vehicle, and b) equipped with a (potentially life-saving) passenger-side training brake. Continue your training at home Once you've finished completed your first lesson (or two) with a driving school, you'll be better prepared to begin the 40 hours of required behind-the-wheel practice at home. Each time you get out there, we recommend recording things such as: • Time of day (or night) • Skills you have learned • Weather conditions Agganis offers pocket folders to help you keep track of everything during your 52 hours of behind-the-wheel training. 7) Prepare for and Take the Road Test Once you complete the behind-the-wheel training, it's time for your big moment: taking the road test (i.e. license examination). If you're like most anyone else, you're going to have butterflies in your stomach the morning of the road test. However, preparing for the test with Agganis Driving School will help increase your chances of passing. We offer Saturday road tests at our location at 474 Main St. in Wilmington. Please schedule the road test with us at least 16 days in advance. We recommend taking this test within two weeks after completing your last driving lesson. On the Tuesday before your test date, you'll receive a confirmation email; please review it carefully. Also, please fill out the RMV license application and have it signed by a parent or guardian. And be sure to pay any outstanding or additional RMV fees (e.g. $70 fee for five-year photo license and license application fee). On the day of the test, we'll give you road test information and a quick tip sheet along with a 20-minute presentation. The test itself takes place in a pre-approved Agganis vehicle, and an Agganis instructor will act as your sponsor (riding in the back set during the test). For more information or to book this test with Agganis, please click here. 8) Get Behind the Wheel Once you pass the road test, be sure to get behind the wheel as often as possible. Driving on a daily basis will greatly help you practice and retain what you have learned at Agganis Driving School.   If you continue to drive the way we taught you throughout our program, we can guarantee you will not be involved in an crash that is your fault. How can we be so sure? Well, Agganis has been teaching and putting new drivers behind the wheel since 1970. Over these nearly four decades, thousands of new drivers …   [We have not been involved in an crash where the student or the instructor was at fault!  Now that’s one amazing statistic!] 9) Understand Restrictions & Penalties Drivers and parents of teenagers under age 18 should understand the following restrictions and penalties.   Passenger Restrictions For the first six months after receiving your Massachusetts driver's license, you cannot have any passengers under age 18 in the vehicle. Penalties for violating this restriction include: • Possible arrest • Fines • Being taken to police station • Having vehicle towed • Court costs • Suspended license • License reinstatement fee • Insurance surcharge Total costs related to this offense could reach $1,000. In addition, criminal charges may be filed for serious injury or death.   Exceptions to these restrictions: • Immediate family members (i.e., parents, siblings), or • Someone in passenger seat in 21 or older (must be licensed at least one year) • Anyone over 18 may legally ride in the vehicle at any time   Penalties for First Speeding Offense If you're under age 18, the total cost for your first speeding ticket can total upwards of $945. Here's the breakdown of fines and other penalties: • Minimum fine, first 10 mph: $100 (plus $10 per mile above 10 mph) • SCARR (road rage) program: $100 • Attitudinal retraining program: $100 • Learner's Permit fee: $30 • Application fee for road test: $20 • Retake road test: $115.00 • 90-day license suspension* • License reinstatement fee: $500 * Although the law states it will be a 90-day suspension, be prepared to wait for nine months before full reinstatement of your license.