-Typically parents register their 14 or 15-year-old son or daughter for classroom Driver's Education class through Community Services. Contact Danielle Wilts at 507-537-6767 or Email her for more information. Check out Marshall Community Services Drivers Ed website for more information.
-Attend the Point of Impact Parent/Teen Meeting the Sunday evening before your class is scheduled to begin. These meetings are held at the MMS Theater at 6:30 pm and last about 90 minutes. Attendance at this meeting is required as part of the Marshall Public Schools/Community Services Driver Education program.
-Complete 30 hours of classroom driver education class. All of the Marshall Public Schools/Community Services Classroom Driver Education instructors are licensed MN teachers and belong to the Minnesota Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association. Attendance at all 30 hours of class is required by state law. Please keep this in mind when registering for a class session. Classes are offered six times a year through Marshall Public Schools/Community Services. Classes are held at the Merit Center, 1001 West Erie Road/County Road 33, Marshall, MN 56258 in classroom B and C.
-Upon successful completion of Driver's Education class, students will earn a Blue Card. This signifies that the students has meet the requirements set out by the state for classroom driver education.
-The next step is taking the permit (knowledge/written) test. Find a location to take the permit test by clicking here. Students must be at least 15-years-old to take the permit test.
-Once the student has passed their permit test, they need to apply for their permit at the court house. In Marshall, the court house is located at 607 W Main Street. This is where the student will fill out the application for the permit, pay the fee, and have their picture taken. Once this is completed, the student will leave the court house as a permitted driver with a paper copy of their temporary permit and the hard card will be in the mail soon.
-Next, students need to build some familiarity with driving and gain some basic skills. The newly permitted driver can now drive when accompanied by a licensed adult, 21-years-old or older sitting in the front passenger seat.
-Now, its time to schedule Behind the Wheel (BTW) Lessons. Visit Marshall Community Services at 344 West Main Street (2nd Floor) to schedule your six hours of BTW. The first lesson can be scheduled after the teen has done some basic practice driving to establish some basic skills. The BTW Instructors would like to help students refine their basic skills and learn more advanced skills. This is more effectively done when a novice drive can come in with the basics of vehicle control and operation already in his/her skill set.
-Remember to log at least 40 hours of practice driving in a variety of conditions on the state approved Supervised Driving Log. 100 hours of practice would truly prepare a novice driver, however the state doesn't require that much practice. This is a great opportunity as a family to make a decision about your teen's skill level, maturity, and preparedness in regards to the amount of practice opportunities he/she will need.
-Once a student has had his/her permit for at least six months, is 16-years-old, and has logged at least 40 hours of practice driving, it could be time to take the driving test. Sign up for a location and appointment for a road test at https://mndriveinfo.org/dvsinfo/examschedlogin.asp . DVS prefers that you use the website to schedule your appointment verses calling to schedule since they have a limited number of staff members. You will need current proof of insurance, proper forms of identification, certificate of completion from the Point of Impact Parent/Teen Meeting, completed Supervised Driving Log, and your white card signifying the completion of Behind the Wheel.
-Once a teen driver has passed his/her road test, he/she now has entered into the provisional license phase of the graduated drivers license (GDL) process. During the first six months of having a license, a teen may not use a cellphone, have more than one passenger (other than immediate family members), and cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 AM. During the second six months of the first year of having a licence, a teen may not use a cellphone, have more than three passengers (not including immediate family members). Since teens are underage, no alcohol is permitted to be in their system at all.
-After a year of violation free driving or at age 18, a teen can apply for the final stage of his/her GDL, a full license! This means another trip to the court house, pay a fee, fill out the form, have a picture taken, and you're on your way!