While earning your drivers license may seem like a natural rite of passage, keep in mind that driving is a privilege and not an entitlement. To earn your license, you must meet your state's requirements. In most cases, this includes passing driver education.

Technically speaking, it's not possible to fail drivers education. As a new driver, you are not expected to know how to properly operate a motor vehicle at all times. The goal of the course is to help you build your skills. Failing to perform key maneuvers such as a three point turn, emergency stop, or parallel parking would cause you to fail your driving exam at the state DMV, but they won't lead you to automatically fail driver education. A driver education teacher expects to you make a few mistakes along the path of learning how to become a safe and responsible driver.

While difficulty learning how to drive won't cause you to fail a driver education course, this does not mean that all students will earn a certificate of completion. The most common reasons for not completing a driver education course are not showing up for required behind the wheel practice times and failing to complete the written tests at the end of each unit. Obviously, these are issues that can be avoided simply by treating the program with the same level of commitment that you would give to any academic course taken during the school year.

If you don't complete drivers education, you won't be able to get your license if your state legally requires the course. If driver education is optional in your state, you could still attempt to get your license by taking your state's written exam and road test. However, for your own personal safety, it would probably be wisest to repeat the drivers ed course and make sure you have mastered all of the relevant material. If you don't have time to repeat the entire course due to other commitments, you could look into a driver ed online program; many states now accept these.