Richfield Public Schools Community Education

Safeway Driving School, Minnesota’s largest and most trusted driving school, partners with Richfield Community Education to provide high-quality Driver’s Education classes for students ages 14.5 to 17. Classes are held at the Richfield Central Education Center and are designed to meet the requirements of the Minnesota Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. Classroom and Behind The Wheel lessons emphasize defensive driving techniques tailored for the inexperienced teen driver while targeting to influence the invincible teen attitude. All Safeway's instructors are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

How To Get Your Driver License (ages 14.5 to 17)

• 30 hours of classroom instruction: Covering state-approved curriculum to prepare students for their permit exam.After class is completed, students who are 15 years old are eligible to take their permit test at any Minnesota exam center. The permit test is not provided during the class. This class is not designed for students over the age of 18, as their requirements are different to obtain a permit. If a student misses a lesson, they can make up that exact lesson number at the next session or at one of Safeway's other classroom locations. For the online option, classroom is conducted through a secure Zoom platform, which requires that students have a video camera and audio capabilities on their devices.Students will be required to be in front of the camera and interactive during all online lessons. Students will be required to be in front of the camera and interactive during all online lessons.
• 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training: Individualized, hands-on driving lessons with professional, experienced instructors. Includes six hours of driving in three, two-hour private lessons. All driving is done in a Safeway car on city streets, highways and freeways with a responsible, licensed Safeway instructor. Safeway recommends students take their first lesson 2-3 weeks after receiving their permit card and after 5 hours of practice driving. Students have one year after completing the classroom to finish their Behind The Wheel lessons. Scheduling is offered online for 24/7 convenience. All of Safeway's cars are white with identical graphics so parents and students are confident that it is a Safeway car picking up the student for a lesson. The state requires that students have a minimum of 50 hours of practice (15 hours at night). Parent classes are offered monthly at Safeway's nearby classrooms or via distance learning.
• Flexible scheduling: Convenient class times and driving sessions designed to fit your student's busy schedule, with easy make-up options available for busy teenaged schedules.
• State certification: Upon completion of the program(classroom and BTW), students will receive all necessary documentation to apply for their Minnesota driver’s license. Schedule the Road Test: The road test needs to be scheduled at a Minnesota Drivers and Vehicle Services location. Students must be 16 years old to take the road test.

Important Timelines and Planning Tips:

• Students have one year from the end of the classroom portion or their 15th birthday, whichever is later, to complete their three, 2 hour, behind-the-wheel lessons.
• Safeway recommends 30 days between each behind-the-wheel lesson, with the final lesson completed about 30 days before the potential road test.
• It is essential for students to practice regularly with a supervising driver, as frequent practice builds the confidence and skills needed for successful completion of the program. Practice Driving for 6 Months. Minnesota law requires a student to have a permit for 6 months and maintain a driving log with a parent/guardian. The driving log must be submitted at the time of the road test.

For more information, visit Safeway's FAQ page