More training, fewer passengers may be in future for new Ohio drivers

Driving instructors and new drivers will both be expected to meet higher state standards under a plan pushed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety to improve safety on the roads.

Public Safety Director John Born is scheduled to testify Wednesday on a plan tucked into the state budget that would require young drivers to:

* Have 10 hours of behind-the-wheel time with a driving instructor, up from eight hours;

* Face passenger limits until they’re 18-years-old, up from 17-years-old now;

* Pass a simulated driving test before being allowed to hit the road for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles test.

And never-before-licensed drivers would have to take a driver’s education course before getting licensed. Currently, anyone 18 and older can simply skip instruction, pass the BMV test and get licensed.

Additionally, Born wants professional standards for driving instructors and wants his department to be authorized to crack down on bad actors in the driving instruction industry.

Instructors would be required to get 60 hours of training, up from 40 hours. The state would dictate what needs to be covered and instructors would face a six month probationary period following his or her initial training license.

About the Author