Supervised practice and driver education in Alaska

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the total hours and challenging-condition hours Alaska requires.
• You can say who may supervise and who may certify the hours.
• You can plan practice that builds from easy to difficult conditions.
• You can explain where driver education fits in Alaska.
• You can link your practice to the tasks on the road test.

What you need to know and understand

• At least 40 hours of driving experience are required before a provisional license for drivers under 18.
• At least 10 of those hours must be in progressively challenging circumstances, such as inclement weather and nighttime driving.
• The manual says a parent, legal guardian or employer certifies the hours.
• The supervisor must be licensed, at least 21 and have at least one year of experience in the same type of vehicle, seated beside you.
• The certification is given with the parental consent, either on form D1 at the DMV or on a notarized form 433.
• Driver education is optional. Students in an approved course can get a class IE permit valid only with a driving school instructor.
• You must also hold your permit for at least 6 months before the provisional license.

Building up to Alaska conditions

Long winter nights, snow, ice and wildlife make Alaska practice different. Work through the stages in order and only move on when the last one feels calm and controlled.

1. Quiet daytime roads: starting, stopping, steering, signaling and speed control.
2. Town traffic: intersections, lane changes, roundabouts and parking.
3. Dusk and darkness: headlight use, dimming for other traffic and scanning the roadside for moose.
4. Wet or snowy roads: longer following distances of six seconds or more and gentle braking.
5. Ice and packed snow: practice stopping and skid recovery at low speed on private property first, as the manual suggests.
6. Highways and poor visibility: merging, passing safely and pulling over when five or more vehicles are lined up behind you on a two-lane road.

Keeping a record

The DMV asks for a signed certification rather than a particular logbook. Keeping your own log of the date, minutes, conditions and skills practiced still helps. It shows the adult exactly what they are signing for, and it shows you which skills still need work.

Remember that winter afternoons can count as darkness. The rule is about the conditions, not the time on the clock.

Should you take driver education?

A course is not required in Alaska, but professional lessons can help with skills parents find hard to teach, such as parallel parking and freeway merging. Driving schools may also act as third-party road testers. Your 40 hours of certified practice are still required whether or not you take a course.

Common mistakes

• Saving all the hard hours for the last week. Spread night and weather practice through the 6 months.
• Only practicing familiar routes. The road test may take you somewhere new, so vary where you drive.
• Using an under-21 supervisor. A 19 or 20 year old cannot legally supervise, even with years of experience.
• Skipping parking and backing. These are graded on the road test and need regular practice.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Alaska

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Alaska 40 Hour Supervised Driving Certification Checklist
• Alaska Permit Practice Test
• Alaska Off-Highway Driver’s License