Driver Ed in a Box

Driver Ed in a Box, LLC was founded by Patrick L. Barrett, a nationally recognized expert in collision-free driving. Pat has been actively involved in driver education and training since 1974. He holds teacher and instructor certifications in multiple states, including certifications as a Supervising Teacher and Instructor Trainer. He previously owned the largest driving school in Texas, which he sold in 1989 to focus on fleet safety consulting with clients across more than 40 states. Pat is the author of *Warning: Driver Education Can Kill Your Teenager*, a new book released by Advantage Press in June 2013. He has appeared as a guest expert on numerous talk shows discussing driver safety and training. Pat served as President of the North American Professional Driver Education Association for eight years and has led workshops nationwide for driving school owners, instructors, and trainers. He also co-founded the Driving School Association of Texas and served as its President for two years. Pat has written several books, pamphlets, and articles on collision-free driving, including: - *How to Tell… Will Your Teenager Crash the Car? 39 Sure-Fire Tests to Check Out Your Teenager’s Driving Skills* — a handbook for parents of new drivers. - *Driver Ed in a Box® – The Textbook* — written specifically for parent-taught or parent-assisted driver education. - *Driver Ed in a Box®* — a complete training system for parents guiding their teenage drivers. This is the only private, Texas-based program approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, and New Mexico Transportation Department. - *DrivText* — a workbook designed for fleet drivers. - Fleet driver safety programs and materials that have achieved over 50% reductions in collision rates. - Magazine and news articles on driver safety and training published in outlets across the United States. Pat also co-authored two publications for the North American Professional Driver Education Association: *Safe Driving Habits*, a student text used nationwide, and *Building Safe Driving Habits*, a guide for training driving instructors. Frances Hammond has worked alongside Pat in driver safety and training since 1975. As the company grew, she took on roles ranging from customer service and office management to inventory control. A published author herself, Frances now edits, designs, and coordinates all company materials. She played a key role in developing both printed materials and the scripts for our audio and video productions. Frances also researches state laws and emerging developments in driver safety and training to keep our resources user-friendly and current. John Barrett, Pat’s son, works closely with his father to ensure the success of Driver Ed in a Box, LLC. Having grown up in the driver education business, John brings a passion for computer technology and an ongoing commitment to learning about tech advances. He serves as the company’s Information Technology Manager and oversees technical support. Our History In 1997, Texas gave parents the option to teach their own teen’s driver education. Pat’s son Michael was ready to start, so Pat ordered the state-provided materials. After reading through them, Pat told Frances, “It’s a good thing I already know what I’m supposed to do, because nobody is going to figure it out from this.” Once Michael’s training was underway, friends and acquaintances began asking for help. Pat shared advice, videos, and diagrams. He recognized that many parents wanted more than just a driver’s license—they wanted their teens to become truly safe drivers. While anyone could simply complete DPS forms and claim they did the work, families who wanted to develop a safer driver needed three things: knowledge of what collision-free drivers actually do, a simple and clear integrated format, and tools to pass that knowledge along to a beginner. Nothing on the market met that need, so we created the Driver Ed in a Box® kit. Pat first produced an audio series that walks parents step-by-step through safe training and the habits of collision-free driving. Next, he created videos that show real parent-teen practice sessions. Around the same time, Pat and Frances completed *Driver Ed in a Box® – The Textbook*, which focuses on actually developing collision-free driving habits and replaced the traditional textbook previously sold with the kit. With all these parts connected, we had the first and only program that teaches parents the proven techniques of collision-free driving—skills forged through years of work with driving instructors, experienced fleet drivers, and beginner students. The kit packages everything families need in a practical, no-nonsense format that simply works. Because we listen to our customers, we have continually improved our Driver Ed in a Box® kits so that every family receives the best possible course.