Defensive Driving
Hands-on highway merging, following distance and hazard awareness in real Austin traffic, for new drivers and anyone rusty.
Licensed drivers
2 × 90 min sessions
In car, highway routes
$179
What you’ll learn
This is a practical course in the car, not the online class for dismissing a ticket. Tom Becker teaches it on the roads that make Austin drivers nervous.
Merging onto busy highways and exiting safely
Keeping a three-to-four-second cushion
Reading brake lights two and three cars ahead
Construction zones, sudden lane closures and aggressive drivers
Night and rain driving habits
You’ll finish with a short written plan of the habits to keep practicing on your own.
What’s included
Two 90-minute sessions, a week apart
Highway and downtown routes
Pickup included
Personal habit plan after each session
Questions
Is this the Texas ticket dismissal course?
No. That course is taken online through approved providers. This is real driving with an instructor.
Who is it for?
Newly licensed drivers, people who stopped driving for a few years, and anyone who avoids highways.
Can I bring my own car?
Yes, if it’s insured and registered. Many drivers like practicing in the car they use every day.
Other courses you might need.
Teens 14–17
Teen Driver Ed
The full Texas teen program: a self-paced online classroom plus 14 hours in the car with your instructor, from learner license to road test.
From $389
Adults 18+
Adult Driver Ed
The six-hour adult course plus in-car lessons at your pace, for first-time drivers, new residents and anyone starting later.
From $79
Teens and adults
Behind-the-Wheel Lessons
One-on-one 60-minute lessons in a dual-brake car, planned around the skill you need next, with pickup included.
$79 per lesson