AAA Western and Central New York is commemorating the 20th anniversary of its Driver Training program. Founded in October 2004, the program has assisted 386,000 total students with almost 900,000 instruction hours across the region.

 From beginner basics to advanced techniques, AAA offers courses to enhance driving skills including defensive driving, Licensed to Learn (LTL) program, five-hour pre-licensing course, in-car driving lessons, driver evaluations, and electric vehicle driving lessons. Some classes are taught in the classroom while others are available virtually.

“It’s been amazing to watch our team grow from where we were 20 years ago,” said AAA Western and Central New York Driver Training Manager Mike Formanowicz. “We’ve gone from six or eight cars, maybe a dozen instructors, and a driver improvement program to the point now where we’re around 20,000 students a year going through our programs.”

Many of those students are learning to drive for the first time. Over 64,000 students have spent time behind the wheel of a AAA vehicle with a state-licensed AAA driving instructor. The AAA Licensed to Learn (LTL) program includes 25 hours of driver education instruction, one-on-one in-car training, 10 driving lessons, a five-hour pre-licensing course certificate, and a free 1-year AAA Basic Membership.

Over the years, the LTL program has stood out with a proven track record for safety. Previous studies have shown that teenage Licensed to Learn drivers aged 16 and 17 had a 62 percent lower accident rate in New York State. “The dedication we have toward training our instructors, both initially and through ongoing training, ensures that when a teenager gets into one of our cars for a lesson, they are getting the very best instruction,” Formanowicz said.

AAA continues to evolve the driver training program to keep current with advances in technology such as adding electric vehicle driving lessons and meeting driver preferences with more SUVs in the instructional fleet.

The AAA Defensive Driving course enables participants to sharpen their driving skills while qualifying for up to 10 percent off their auto insurance and a reduction of four points off their driver’s license. It is available to AAA members and nonmembers and is approved by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles.

Driver evaluations are also available through the AAA Driver Evaluation program. Typical reasons for a driver evaluation include aging, questionable collisions, recovery from a serious physical condition, family or employer concerns, and a court mandate or doctor recommendation. AAA’s private evaluation consists of a 45-minute in-car review of a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle under various driving conditions. A written report is provided outlining the driver’s abilities including any safety concerns, suggested improvements, and recommendations on whether to resume driving or relinquish driving privileges.

For more information about the AAA Driver Training Program, visit www.AAA.com/DriverTraining or call (800) 836-2582.