“As Uncle Ben said in the first Spiderman movie, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ With driving, it is great, but it’s a great responsibility. We want to instill that in our students.
About Oscar’s Driving School
Oscar and Deanna Outen started Oscar’s Driving School in 2015 after the suggestion of their teenage son, Gaston. Prior to starting the business, Oscar and Deanna had many years combined experience working with youth. Oscar had experience as an Army Master Driving Instructor and as a driving instructor for the U.S. Postal Service. And Deanna was a current teacher.
Deanna: “While working with him with his permit, there were many things we felt Gaston should know for driving. We have worked with children all our lives, through teaching, as youth directors, and coaching. So, this was all Gaston’s idea. He actually worked behind the scenes for years from designing our logo, and answering emails, to managing registrations. Now he’s a licensed instructor working with us.”
Oscar: “We are passionate about helping drivers learn to navigate the battlefield of driving.” A big motivator was a personal experience Oscar had with his oldest son, James. “He had his
license for 30 days and got in a terrible accident. James did survive, but that accident changed his life forever. He was a three-sport athlete before the accident and then was in a coma for 10 days. He encouraged me to tell that story because James said he saw the car coming that hit him, but with his overconfidence he thought he could beat it. I tell that story every month. I want to let the students know that if it seems like I am being too hard on them, it’s because I don’t want their parents to get that same kind of phone call. That’s a big motivation for what we do.”
Deanna: We offer the required 30 hours of instruction and 6 hours behind the wheel. People can choose a seated or Zoom class with us. But our curriculum is more focused on the necessary skillsets and driving on the road than many other programs. We also offer services for adults who haven’t gotten their license yet and who need classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel training, or even point reductions. We can help them get the information they need to pass the test at the DMV and help train them on the road.
Oscar: We had a 77-year-old grandmother who never had her driver’s license. Her
granddaughter was in Driver’s Ed. So the grandmother made a bet that she would get her
license before the granddaughter. She would take the Greyhound bus from Wadesboro to Monroe to come drive with us. And she won that bet!
What can customers expect?
Oscar: We like to say our school is a hybrid with the mind of an instructor and the heart of a teacher. Deanna, being an educator, comes at the curriculum one way, and I come at it another with my instructor background. When we developed the curriculum, we sat down with my son and some of his peers. We wanted to know the best way to appeal to them. The lessons were written from a teenage viewpoint, which has created great success for us, especially in ensuring they comprehend the skills necessary to be safe drivers.
Deanna: We started our business here in Monroe because we are from here. This is where our community and network are. We’re centrally located and very near the bypass. We’ve driven hundreds of students from several different counties. And we invite parents to ride along with us. And it’s funny to hear the parents say ‘Oh, Monroe has a hospital, and that courthouse is so beautiful, and such-and-such restaurant. So, it’s fun to help show folks what Monroe has to offer.
Oscar: We know the parents need to be involved too. We call it the Principles of the Letter P. The parents purchased the program with a purpose. The students have to learn the procedures and practices in order to become proficient. But we have to be patient with them, and they have to be patient with themselves. And most importantly, the parents must get involved. We encourage our parents to take an active role, ride with us and learn how we instruct the students while they are driving.
Deanna: And the parents have to set a good example, too, and not be on their phones while dropping students off or laying down rubber leaving the parking lot.
Oscar’s driving school gives back to the community in multiple ways, including through Oscar’s role as Chair of the Youth Committee for the Sam F. Keziah Unionville American Legion Post 535.
Oscar: We are proud to support several programs through the American Legion like Scouting, local shooting sports teams, and promoting activities for Veterans and their families. We’ve recently helped to create the new American Legion Golfers Association. It’s a Junior Golf Tournament for kids aged 13-18 coming up on October 16, 2023 at Monroe Country Club. We are looking for golfers and volunteers to make it a successful event. Anyone interested can email me at oscar@oscarsdrivingschool.com
Who would be your dream celebrity spokesperson for Oscar’s Driving School?
Deanna: Spiderman is our favorite superhero. And in the first movie, Uncle Ben tells him ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ The teenagers are Spiderman. They are suddenly thrust into a situation where they have great power. But we are the Uncle Bens. We must remind them of the great responsibility.
Last modified: July 28, 2023
