Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 Safety Protocols

**This post has been updated with new protocols that begin June 15th 2021.** Varsity Driving Academy has always taken safety very seriously. After all, teaching teens and adults how to drive is naturally dangerous. But there are ways to protect students like using safe vehicles, trained professionals, and picking safe locations to practice driving. But now there is a new challenge that is affecting every type of business, that threat is COVID-19. There is no way as of yet to completely protect Varsity Driving students from COVID-19 but that doesn’t mean attempts can’t be made. There are new Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 safety protocols being implemented in the best ways possible. 

Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 safety protocols will add even more layers of protection for students who need to learn how to drive. There is no way for any business to completely prevent any customers or clients from getting COVID-19 while doing business. We have made it to a point where things are starting to relax, life is getting back to normal, and requirements are starting to loosen up. However, Varsity Driving Academy is still focused on the health and safety of its students. Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 safety protocols are things we can do to help. The catch is that there is no guarantee, which is why there is also a liability waiver as well. 

Driving Instructor Protocols

Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 safety protocols not only affect students but drivers as well. Instructors must follow a new set of rules to help keep students and driving instructors safe. In fact, each instructor has gone through our Covid-19 Response Plan Training. These protocols include: 

• Stay home if you are feeling sick in any way
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, and nose
• Hands must be washed as often as possible
• Instructors must wear face masks while instructing students until further notice
• Social distancing will still be practiced as much as possible including conversations with parents and before and after lessons
• Every employee must have their temperature checked before starting work to confirm they do not have a fever over 100.4 degrees

These protocols help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as to protect students as much as we possibly can. 

Protocols for Students

Varsity Driving Academy doesn’t want to just protect students. In fact, driving instructors and employees are also a major concern. It is important to ask that students follow a set of safety protocols as well. These protocols include:

• All students are required to wear facemasks while in a training vehicle per the California Department of Health, page 2: “Masks are not required for fully vaccinated individuals, except in the following settings where masks are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status on public transit (examples: airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares).
• All students must sign the COVID-19 Liability Waiver before any driving lesson can take place

These safety protocols for students are requests, the only mandatory protocol is the waiver. The face mask is up to you. However, we HIGHLY recommended that students wear a face mask in order to prevent the spread of the virus. 

Vehicle Protocol

Varsity Driving Academy COVID-19 safety protocols extend to the vehicles as well. The goal is to do everything possible to keep students and instructors as safe as possible. Every vehicle has been stocked with safety supplies that are specific to this situation. Each instructor must completely wipe down and disinfect the vehicle after every lesson. Varsity Driving Academy had installed a new safety barrier in each vehicle. However, safety guidelines have allowed Varsity Driving Academy to remove the barriers from each training vehicle. Safety has been the priority of Varsity Driving Academy before the virus, during the virus, and even after the virus.