About McKenna's and our Program

Tips for Selecting a Driving School

McKenna's Defensive Driving is owned and operated by Ron McKenna and his family.  While it is based in Dartmouth, it also serves the metro Halifax area in general.  Classroom sessions are held in Dartmouth.  McKenna's offers a fully recognized driver education program consisting of 25 hours in the classroom and 10 hours in-car. 

As with other schools, completion of the McKenna's program will result in a reduction in insurance rates (depending on insurance company, and on individual family circumstances).   It also allows easy transition at the end of two years of driving from the novice (N) stage, to the experienced licence.  The minimum waiting time between obtaining the beginner's licence and taking the road test is reduced from six months to three months.

McKenna's in-car program follows all provincial guidelines and in fully-approved vehicles with friendly certified instructors.   Training will include suburban, urban and freeway driving, with a thorough preparation for the Registry of Motor Vehicles road test.

NOVA SCOTIA DRIVER EDUCATION IS MADE UP OF 25 HOURS OF CLASSROOM THEORY AND INFORMATION, FOLLOWED BY 10 HOURS OF IN-CAR PRACTICAL LEARNING.

McKenna's classroom phase:

• covers all provincially required topics, plus more. 
   

• Instruction is pleasant but very thorough, with consistently favourable reviews from students.   You will not find any filler material here, as there are more than enough important topics to fill 25 hours. 
   

• Instruction is based on a provincially approved textbook, but presented by way of a course-book personally written by the instructor.   Note-taking will be minimal.
   

• Students will have a major final test at the last session, as compared to shorter ones along the way or no evaluation at all (as may be the case at some other schools).    Students with valid test-writing difficulties may be accommodated.
   

• Classes are mostly scheduled for seven 3.5 hour evening sessions, rather than the more common day-long weekend sessions offered by most other schools.   In some months one or more of the classes will be on a Saturday beginning at 9 AM.
   

• Classes are conveniently held at the Quality Inn Halifax-Dartmouth (MicMac)
  at 313 Prince Albert Road in Dartmouth, near the Braemar Superstore. 
   

•  A current schedule of classes for the upcoming months appears below.

McKenna's In-Car Instruction
 (generally follows completion of the classroom program) 

• Friendly professional one-on-one instruction.   Instructors routinely receive rave reviews!
   

• Lessons progress based on the skills and knowledge of the student, with situations progressing in a logical order of complexity.
   

• Instruction commences with static familiarization with the vehicle and blind spots, to quiet areas, to suburban driving, to rural and freeway driving, to downtown Halifax and ends with concentrated practice for the road test.  Progression is adjusted depending on the experience and learning of each student.
   

• Ideally the lessons are one hour long and perhaps twice per week; however in some cases two hour lessons or more frequent lessons might be arranged to accommodate special circumstances.
   

• In-car lessons are in most cases spread over two to three months to accommodate the minimum 3-month waiting period between acquisition of the learner's licence and doing the road test.   Students who have already completed the waiting period might do the in-car lessons more quickly, but all students should realize that driving lessons are ideally partnered with driving experience over time at home in the family car.
   

• In most cases students may be picked up and/or dropped off at home, at school, or place of employment.   Students who live outside the Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Eastern Passage/North Preston area may have to make arrangements to meet in the Dartmouth area for lessons.  Students in the Halifax city, Bedford, Sackville areas may or may not have to make such arrangements. Check with the office to discuss.

• Rely on word of mouth when possible rather than advertising.  Most of McKenna's students report that they came due to our reputation for service, quality and price.
• Which suits you best, a Canada-wide corporation or a local stand-alone company with all its roots in the community?   No doubt that big chain has an excellent product but taking into account other factors you may find McKenna's excellent product preferable.
• Is there a representative who is willing to explain the program and answer all your questions prior to committing your money?  Call Glenna at 434-7651.
• Will the school pick you up from your home, work or school for the in-car driving lessons, within its service area?   We will, within the core area of Halifax-Dartmouth.
• Driving schools must be properly licenced in Nova Scotia and carry adequate liability insurance.  Vehicles must be kept in good repair and inspected annually. Ours are!
• Instructors must be certified and currently licenced to teach driving in Nova Scotia.  Criminal record checks are required to teach driving. Ours are.
• All driving school operators and instructors should be professional, courteous, personable, respectful, and emphasize safety and integrity.   They should also be enthusiastic and dedicated to what they are doing.  Ours certainly are,  as our students will readily testify!
• Look for a school in which the instructors who love the in-car training are doing that, and the instructors who enjoy teaching a classroom full of students are doing that aspect, and that each consider what he or she is doing to be equally important in a complete package.  This is for sure at McKenna's.   Ron and Jake enjoy the in-car.  Bill enjoys the classroom.  And each is very competent in doing what they enjoy!
• Ask about the required hours and scheduling format for the classroom sessions.  All schools must present a 25-hour program but the format is typically either 3 day-long classes OR a series of shorter evening classes.  Which works best for you?   McKenna's uses the shorter class format usually evenings 6 - 9:35 spread over seven non-consecutive evenings.
• Discuss the attendance policy for the 25-hour classroom sessions.  It may be difficult to attend the complete number of hours due to other commitments.  Will the school allow split attendance over two or more monthly class sessions in order to make up the time?    McKenna's does.  Be wary of schools that are overly lenient in attendance policies.   It is important for all the classes to be attended!   McKenna's allows only very limited absences for good reasons not being made up, and will never schedule in-car lessons at the same time as the classroom. 
• Compare tuition costs between driving schools and ask if there are any additional fees or charges such as for use of the vehicle or instructor time during the final road test.   McKenna's is among the cheapest in the Halifax area and does not charge for the use of the car during the road test.  Regardless of the school your personal payments to Access Nova Scotia for testing and licences are always your own responsibility.   
• Ask about the school's policy for cancelling or rescheduling a behind-the-wheel training session.   McKenna's does not charge for cancellations provided you give reasonable notice.