Jim Beyer (left) and John Anderson, co-founders of Centerpoint Driving Academy, try out an SUV in which students train.

When it comes to the safety of new drivers, the founders of Centerpoint Driving Academy — Jim Beyer and John Anderson — believe teaching the bare minimum is simply not enough.

“We felt there were gaps in traditional driver’s ed training,” Beyer said. “That’s where our free, one-of-a-kind life skills class comes in, offering real-world experience to make our students confident and better prepared to begin their driving careers safely.”

Fully licensed and insured, CDA is the only driving academy offering the life skills program. It is included in all driving packages, along with the state-required 30 hours of classroom training by Registry of Motor Vehicles-certified driving instructors — 12 hours of driving time in a CDA vehicle and six hours observation.

The bonus life skills class offers hands-on experience with important technical skills including changing a tire, inflating tires to the correct pressure and changing oil and air filters.

Additionally, CDA invites a uniformed officer to address students about what to do if stopped by the police and the dos and don’ts if there is an accident, and brings in local insurance agents to discuss proper coverage for young drivers.

“We offer as much individualized attention as possible,” said Anderson, a Hopkinton resident. “The class teacher is also the driving instructor because we feel that provides tremendous continuity of service.”

Another key differentiator is that CDA students (adults and teenagers alike) learn to drive in a newer RAV-4 SUV.

“Almost every driveway has an SUV in it these days,” Beyer added, “so we wanted to offer the kind of car most students would be driving.”

Between Beyer and Anderson, they have seven children. As parents, they know an adult might not always be available when a teenager needs assistance on the road, so they’ve made it their priority to give young people the skills and confidence needed to help themselves.

This is a population they know well and care about.

Both have years of experience coaching young people in sports. Anderson was heavily involved in youth sports from Pop Warner football to serving on the board of the Hopkinton Basketball Association, and Beyer coached Milford High School tennis, along with community youth programming.

To celebrate CDA’s grand opening, their 17-module instruction package is offered for $790, a $200 discount. Included are the bonus life skills class and an RMV certificate.

Those interested can take advantage of this time-limited offer by registering online. A student portal also is available 24/7 to schedule classes or a make up session and track progress on classroom instruction.

As a community service, the resource section provides links to the RMV to download driving manuals or obtain learner’s permit applications, local resources about insurance options, road-side assistance, information about buying a car for a teenager and more.

Open daily from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., CDA’s headquarters are at 31 Granite St., Suite 4, in Milford. The company will offer instruction in Hopkinton soon. Discover more at centerpointdrivingacademy.com or call 508-217-4447 for an appointment.

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