TEEN DRIVER’S EDUCATION

Throughout the week, our Driver’s Education students have the opportunity to learn from a variety of guest speakers and safety partners who bring real-world experience and powerful lessons about safe driving. We kick off the class with First Impact. They help parents and teens understand Missouri’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) law and how to work together to build safe driving habits. We kindly request that the parents accompany their teen for this section.

Here’s a brief overview of what each session covers:

  1. First Impact -Educates teens & parents on Missouri's Graduated Driver License (GDL) law, provides coaching tools, and aims to reduce teen crashes, injuries, and fatalities by empowering

    parents to effectively support and enforce safe driving habits. (We ask that parents take the time to attend this part of the program)

  2. Missouri State Highway Patrol Driver’s Examiner – Provides insight into what to expect during the driving test and common mistakes new drivers make.

  3. MSHP Troop Mechanic – Teaches students about vehicle maintenance and safety checks that every driver should know before hitting the road.

  4. Don Tolly & Associates – Shares important information about insurance, financial responsibility, and the real costs of car ownership.

  5. MU Healthcare – “Is It Worth It?” Program – Offers a powerful perspective on the consequences of distracted and impaired driving.

  6. MSHP Seat Belt Convincer – Gives students a hands-on demonstration of why wearing a seat belt is so critical.

  7. ThinkFirst – Features stories from individuals who have experienced life-changing injuries due to crashes, reinforcing the importance of safe choices.

    We end the Friday with MSHP Impairment Golf Cart Experience & Driving Simulator – Ends the week with an interactive session showing how alcohol and distractions affect reaction time and driving ability.

    These sessions help our students gain not only driving skills but also a deeper understanding of the responsibility and impact of their choices behind the wheel.

The classroom sessions will be in Room 205 at Popplewell Hall on the MWSU campus. You can find all this information and a map by clicking the button below. 

  • You are eligible to obtain your permit at age 15. You may register for Driver’s Education at age 14 if you will be turning 15 before the program begins and if you have obtained your permit. You are required to upload a copy of your license or permit to your profile.

  • Our summer 2025 Teen Driver’s Education Program Dates in Saint Joseph, MO are,

    Program 1: June 1 - June 5, 2026

    Program 2: June 22 - 26, 2026

  • The St. Joseph, MO Program will offer two driver's education programs. The first program will begin on June 1, 2026 and the second will begin on June 22, 2026. Students receive 25 hours of classroom education, 12 hours of vehicle observation available and 6 hours behind the wheel instruction.

    The one-week classroom portion is conducted Monday through Friday and your child will attend either the June 1st - 5th or June 22nd - June 26th program. The June 1st-5th program is a morning session only, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the June 22nd-26th program is afternoon session only, 12p.m. - 5p.m. Classes are held at Missouri Western State University.

    *Driving and observation times are scheduled by certified driving instructors outside of the classroom sessions. For Program 1 drive times will open on June 6th-June 21st, Program 2 drive times will open on June 27th-July 18th. When completed you will receive a certificate of completion.

    There will be NO driving on Holidays.

    This program does not exempt you from taking the Missouri Driving Test.

  • Online registration is required for all programs. Registration is not complete until payment has been made.

    Total Fee: $350.00

    Payment can be made online when registering by credit/debit card. In person payments may be made in the form of money order or cashiers check. Please no personal check or cash payments.

    STUDENTS ARE NOT REGISTERED UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED.

  • Changes to your driving schedule should be communicated at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. Any modifications requested after this timeframe, or failure to attend the appointment, will incur a fee of $30.00.

    The certificate will be issued once all driving hours have been completed and all associated fees have been settled.

  • CLASS SIZE LIMITED TO 70 STUDENTS PER SESSION

    A limited number of scholarships are available. Please contact the Council for more information. Must meet financial qualifications.

  • At the St. Joseph Safety & Health Council, we understand that schedules and circumstances can change. Our refund policy is designed to be fair while allowing us to effectively manage class sizes, instructor availability, and scheduling logistics.

    Refund Eligibility

    • Full Refund:
      Cancellations made within 15 days after registration and 7 or more days before the first day of class are eligible for a full refund, minus a $25 non-refundable registration fee.

    • Partial Refund (50%):
      Cancellations made after 15 days of registration and 7 days of the class start date, but before the first class begins, are eligible for a 50% refund.

    • No Refund:
      No refunds will be issued after the first class has started or for:

      • No-shows

      • Missed classes or drive times-NOTE: Missed drive times will lead to extra fees.

      • Failure to obtain a valid learner's permit in time for behind-the-wheel sessions.

    Rescheduling Options

    • We may offer rescheduling to a future session within the same year if space is available, but this is not guaranteed. Rescheduling requests must be made prior to the start of the class.

    Additional Notes

    • Refunds are issued to the original form of payment and may take up to 20 business days to process, depending on your financial institution.

Video taken at Driver’s Education, showing the importance of wearing a seatbelt

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