New Member Profile: Be Safe Driving School
Meet Kelly LeBarre, owner and instructor of Be Safe Driving School. To welcome them as a new member of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, we recently spoke with Kelly to find out more about her and the company.
Tell us a little about Be Safe Driving School and the services you provide.
Be Safe Driving School provides ODOT- and DMV-certified driving education. Our instructors are dedicated to providing the highest quality driving education and training to help you to become a confident and safe driver. As a driver’s education company, we spend a lot of time on the road. That is why we chose to use a plug-in hybrid vehicle – to lessen our impact on the environment.
Be Safe Driving School offers an ODOT-certified driver’s education curriculum that provides 30 hours of classroom instruction, six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, and six hours of observing a peer student driver. We also offer private driving lessons for those who prefer to learn one on one with an instructor. A 2018 study done by the Oregon Department of Education found that in 91% of crashes with a teen driver, the driver had not taken a driver’s education course prior to obtaining their driver’s license. During the course of a four-year study, drivers ages 15 – 20 who took a driver’s education course only factored in 9% of crashes in that age group. Teens who take driver’s education typically have fewer crashes and fewer citations – and many insurance companies offer a discounted rate. Our students will build good driving habits that will last a lifetime.
Where and how did you get your start in driver’s education?
Since I was in elementary school, I have always wanted to be a teacher. Over the years, my interests in what I wanted to teach changed as I grew and learned more about the world around me. For many years, I put raising a family first in my life. Teaching my children has brought a tremendous amount of joy. For a time, I greatly enjoyed being a group fitness instructor and leading group activities for seniors. I wanted to continue working as a teacher/instructor, but with a flexible schedule that would allow me time with my family. I looked into driver’s education after seeing a driver’s ed vehicle on the road next to me. I had seen driver’s ed vehicles on the road before, but this one day, it just clicked. I signed up for training and received my certification in just a few months.
What makes Be Safe Driving School unique?
Be Safe Driving School is a small, family-owned and operated company. We prioritize sustainability, and strive to minimize our impact on the environment through the use of eco-friendly vehicles. Our classes take place at Lane Community College, and all the drives begin there as well. We have access to beautiful state-of-the-art classrooms that help build a foundation for the desire to learn. Students are greeted in a welcoming atmosphere where they can feel comfortable learning beside their peers, asking questions and having open discussions about driving with its risks and benefits.
What do you like most about your work?
For many years, I worked with adults and seniors. They are a great age group to work with. I was ready for a new and exciting challenge. I have come to truly enjoy working with teens. Our driver’s education courses are not only geared towards teens, but the course is available for anyone seeking their driver’s license. There is an interesting dynamic in the classroom where we have teens who are 15 or 16 years old and adults in their 30s, all learning to drive together. Both age groups benefit greatly learning with, and from, one another.
Be Safe Driving School provides quality driving education with a private driving instructor from novice learning, to driving for the first time, to the mature driver wanting to improve their driving habits and skills.
