All new adult drivers would have to take a driver education course before obtaining an Ohio driver’s license under a proposal being considered by state lawmakers.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety also wants to expand teen driving restrictions and make “distracted driving” — including using your cell phone — a fine-able offense, with fees funding driver education for those who can’t afford it.
The “Drive Toward a Safer Ohio” proposals are part of Gov. John Kasich’s state budget, which lawmakers began reviewing this week and will revise several times before Kasich signs it into law before July 1.
The department wants to make distracted driving an offense that could be added to other violations, punishable with a fine between $100 and $300. That money would provide driver education for students who cannot afford classes.
Distracted driving would be any activity while driving a motor vehicle that takes the driver’s attention away from the road — including using a cell phone or an activity not necessary for operating the vehicle — according to department documents.
Currently, drivers over age 18 can obtain a driver’s license after taking a written and road test at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office. Drivers under age 18 are required to take a driver education course, practice driving with a licensed instructor and practice driving at least 50 hours with a parent or guardian.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety wants all Ohio drivers — regardless of age — to have some formal education before hitting the road. Adult drivers could take an approved advanced training course, which would be at least six hours long, and allow those who pass to obtain a driver’s license without taking the maneuverability and driving test at the BMV.
The department’s proposal would also increase the requirements for driving school instructors, add two hours of behind-the-wheel practice for teens and apply restrictions on drivers under age 17 to all drivers under age 18.
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