Educated. Skilled. Confident.
Serving the Oregon North Coast, Astoria / Warrenton / Seaside
Three Ways to Learn
Decide which way to go based on your needs
Free Curriculum
You want a free curriculum to follow for driver training. Refer to Driving Instruction Tutorials and our guide for your practice supervisor.
Driving Instruction
You want a self-study curriculum plus an instructor to help with behind-the-wheel training: see Driving Instruction below.
Driver Education Course
You want instructor-led classroom learning and behind-the-wheel lessons: see state-approved Driver Education Course below.
Driving Instruction
Online Tutorials - Behind The Wheel Training
Independent Lessons
Six Lessons: $280
Four Lessons: $190
Drivers of any age with a valid permit (can be out-of-state) may take driving lessons. Learn good driving habits and helpful tips through the online tutorials. Then put what you learn into practice behind the wheel with a qualified instructor. Our program requires four lessons for intermediate learners and six for newbies.
- Flex scheduling
- At-home pick up (in service area)
- Learn at your own pace
- Get ready to pass your DMV test
- Support for your practice supervisor
Driver Evaluation
This is NOT a third-party test for DMV and no part of this evaluation or route is related to the DMV exam.
One Hour: $50
Need some feedback and advice? The Driver Evaluation is a one-hour route through Astoria and Warrenton with a certified instructor. The evaluation covers how well you know the law plus seven general areas: Turning, Lane Changes, Backing, Intersections, Parking, Speed Control, and Attention. Following the evaluation, you'll find out what you should work on and get some tips for improvement. You can sign up for Driving Lessons if you want more help.
Driver Education Course
Approved by Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT)
May 2023 | May 14 - July 13 CLOSED
Parent Meeting May 14, 6:30 p.m. (online)
Classroom May 15 - July 6, MTW 6:30- 8 p.m.
Behind-the-Wheel weekly, 8 lessons, 90 min each, May 20-July 13
Before you register, please be sure you can complete course requirements. If you are not ready to register today, you can join the waiting list by signing up for reminders below. Classroom sessions are held online through live video conferencing. Behind the wheel lessons (BTW) are scheduled separately, once a week, in student teams of 2. Instructional permit required. Any teen or adult may take the driver education course. Only teens 15-17 with an Oregon permit qualify for the Oregon DMV test waiver.
Course Fee: $299* ($215 low-income)
* Fees are non-refundable. Rates and discounts are based on completion of all required hours. Additional fees may be charged for absences/withdrawal. Multiple child discount available.
Students need laptop/computer + smartphone, reliable internet connection.
- 30 hours classroom instruction (8-12 weeks)
- 12 hours in-car training
- Textbook included
- ODOT Certificate of Completion
- Basic vehicle skills
- Rules of the road
- Advanced strategies for risk reduction
- DMV road test waiver (for teens 15-17)
- Potential insurance discount
Plan Ahead for Driver's Ed
Spring 2023 | Feb 26- May 6
Summer 2023 | May 14 - July 8
Fall 2023 | July 23- Sept 30
Winter 2023 | Oct 8 - Dec 9
When does your student turn 15?
If your child is turning 15 this year, be sure to leave room in their schedule for taking driver education. With school, athletics, extra-curricular activities and jobs, it can be difficult for kids to find time to learn the one life skill everyone needs -- how to drive. This course requires attending classes 3 nights per week (6:30 - 8 p.m. MTW) for 8 weeks, driving lessons on weekends or after school once a week, and lots of driving practice with a supervising adult. Driving instructors help parents/guardians teach their teens. The teaching parent/guardian must attend Orientation with students the Sunday before classes begin. To get notification when registration opens for a course, sign up below.
The "Driver's Ed" Blog
Insights, News & Updates
Resources
Study Materials for Driving Lessons
Parent Guide to Teen Driving
Getting a Provisional License
3rd Party DMV Testing
Frequently Asked Questions
It's not the license; it's the learning.
Can I get a DMV test through you?
No. We are not licensed to provide DMV behind-the-wheel tests. You will have to contact DMV or a third-party testing business. For drive tests in Astoria, you may contact Training Wheels Driver Education at 541-961-9753.
Does my teen need driver education?
Oregon law does not require driver education for Under 18 licensing. Obviously, someone needs to teach your teen how to drive. Parents appreciate a professional, certified driving course because it provides a structured curriculum and can alleviate some of the stress between parent and teen during the learning phase.
What is an ODOT Certificate of Completion?
To promote teen driver safety, Oregon Department of Transportation helps families pay for a state-approved driver education course. Only teens Under 18 are eligible for Freedom Driver Ed's subsidized course fee of $299 ($215 for verified low-income). With a Certificate of Completion, teens are not required to take the DMV drive test when applying for a license.
Do I have to pay when I sign up?
Payment is due within the first week for the teen driver course. For independent lessons, payment is due at registration.
When should my teen get a driver's license?
That decision is entirely up to the parents. Completing a driver education course does not necessarily mean that a teen is ready to be a licensed, unsupervised driver. The decision to get your teen a driver's license depends on your confidence in their maturity and skills, as well as your insurance costs. I recommend that teens take driver education at age 15, then practice for about a year before getting a license.
What is your grievance policy?
Complaints or grievances may be made through Oregon DMV Third Party Programs, 503-945-6049.
Do you teach adults?
Adult students are always welcome. From 18 to 80, adults may benefit from driving lessons for a number of reasons. Adults may register for the teen driver ed course, or they may take driving lessons with online study.
Learning to be Free
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
- Steven Wright
There's No App for That
Personal instruction is the best way
Teens can use tons of online resources to learn traffic safety laws, how to operate a vehicle, how to drive in various conditions, and how to use today’s car safety tech. There are hundreds of great apps that are useful for passing the knowledge test at the DMV. You can use apps for monitoring driver performance -- they use your phone to measure things like hard stops, speeding and fast cornering. You can download any kind of lesson imaginable from an online course or from thousands of YouTube videos.
But learning how to drive is like learning how to play basketball or piano -- you don’t really know how to do it until you’ve done it. Having a good coach and dedicating yourself to lots of practice are the keys to becoming good at anything -- whether it’s basketball, piano or driving a car.
Experience vs. Training
Let Freedom Go to Your Head
It’s no surprise that teen drivers get into more car crashes than any other age group. Sadly, car crashes are the leading cause of death for people 16-24. Why? Lack of experience. But maybe driving is one thing you don’t want to learn by trial and error. The good news: Freedom Driver Education is designed specifically to teach those skills that experts say most teens lack due to inexperience. Of course, no matter how much training you have, it always boils down to choices based on responsibility and maturity. Our goal is to teach young drivers how to be free and smart at the same time, because there’s only one person who can determine your risk of a crash.
- Get Started for Free
Complete the contact form below if you have any questions.
About Freedom Driver Education
Astoria - Warrenton - Seaside
Pamela Cromwell
Owner, Instructor, Chief Car Washer
I've been teaching driver's ed since 2017, when I first opened Freedom Driver Education. To me, personal freedom is, in large part, the ability to go wherever you want, in your own car. My goal is to teach young people how to embrace their personal independence and protect themselves from losing it. Safe, smart driving keeps everybody happy on the road. My personal driving experience ranges from the badlands of New Mexico to the mountains of Colorado and the narrow lanes of England. I am certified by the DMV and approved by ODOT to teach teens the complex coordination of skills that safe driving requires.
© 2017
