In Illinois, the chief benefit of taking driver's ed if you are under 18 is that you cannot get your driver's license or even an instructional permit unless you do so. However, there are other benefits as well. For example, students in Illinois driver's education classes learn how to drive defensively and how to react to common road hazards and emergencies. The class gives them knowledge and experience to fall back on if something unexpected happens while they are behind the wheel.

Also, the classes educate teen drivers about the importance of safe driving and the consequences of unsafe driving behavior. As any parent can tell you, teens sometimes need to be reminded that they are not immortal. Driver's ed classes can provide just such a reminder. Since teenagers also have a tendency to brush off the advice of their parents, Illinois driver's ed classes are helpful because they provide teenagers with the cautionary information they need from a source they may be more likely to listen to. Because unsafe driving affects all drivers on Illinois highways, everyone benefits from teens taking Illinois driver's ed classes!