Supervised practice and driver education in Michigan

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list what Segment 1 and Segment 2 include.
• You can state the two log milestones: 30 hours and 50 hours.
• You can say who is allowed to supervise a teen driver.
• You can explain the practice rule for adult TIP holders.
• You can plan practice that covers night and varied conditions.

What you need to know and understand

• Segment 1 includes at least 24 classroom hours, 6 behind-the-wheel hours and 4 observation hours.
• Segment 1 classroom time is limited to two hours a day and runs over three or more weeks.
• Before Segment 2 you need 30 logged hours, including 2 at night, and three months on Level 1.
• Segment 2 is at least 6 classroom hours, and its state exam needs at least 70 percent.
• Before the skills test you need 50 logged hours, including 10 at night.
• A teen's supervisor must be a licensed parent, guardian or designated licensed adult aged 21 or older.
• Adults 18 and older do not need driver education but must practice at least 30 days on a TIP.

Inside Segment 1 and Segment 2

Segment 1 mixes classroom and car time. Students need at least four classroom hours before any behind-the-wheel training, and at least three of the six driving hours must be done before classroom instruction ends. Only one hour of behind-the-wheel practice is allowed per day. Any remaining driving hours must be finished within three weeks after the classroom part.

Segment 2 is shorter, usually about three days, and focuses on what you have learned from real practice. Providers may offer more than the minimum hours. Only state-certified providers count; online-only courses do not meet Michigan's requirements. Our Segment 1 guide explains the course in more depth.

Keeping the driving log

Our 50-hour supervised driving log checklist suggests how to spread those hours.

1. Start the log the day the Level 1 License is issued. Use the log in the Supervised Driving Guide or the free RoadReady app.
2. Record the date, time of day, length of each drive and conditions.
3. Reach 30 hours, with at least 2 at night, and show the log to your Segment 2 instructor.
4. Keep going to 50 hours, with at least 10 at night.
5. A parent or guardian signs the certification that the hours are true, and the log is shown to the skills test examiner.

Coaching that actually helps

• Start in a large empty parking lot with starting, stopping, braking and turning, then move to quiet side streets.
• Keep instructions short and calm; expect mistakes and have the driver repeat the maneuver.
• Match what the driver education instructor teaches, and ask the instructor when unsure.
• Model good habits yourself: the new driver has been watching you for years.
• Before the test, include freeway merging, rural roads, rain or snow, and night driving.

Common mistakes

• Logging hours after the fact from memory. Fill in the log after every drive.
• Leaving night hours to the last week. Ten night hours take planning, especially in summer.
• Using a supervisor under 21 or without a valid license.
• Practicing only the same short routes. The skills test includes expressway, rural, urban and residential driving.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Michigan

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

Go deeper

• Michigan Segment 1 Driver Education
• Michigan 50-Hour Supervised Driving Log
• Michigan Permit Practice Test