AS the effective date of a new licensing law looms, those who were previously close to getting their licenses are now worried about delayed starts to their driving careers.
While the law itself introduces an inherent delay to this process, the financial burden it puts on budding motorists is where the real issue lies.
Many currently licensed drivers will be forced to hand over their licenses until completing the necessary coursework (stock image)[/caption]
Days at the DMV are in the future for many drivers[/caption]
Ohio’s September 30 driver’s license law will force adult drivers up to age 21 to complete a full driver’s education course to obtain their licenses at their own expense.
While this requires completing roughly 80 hours of driving and lessons in various forms, the financial responsibility it puts on those who want to drive is the larger issue.
By mandating 24 hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of driving with an instructor in the car, the state is effectively forcing young people to fork over a minimum of $400 for full driver’s ed courses.
Some private driving schools can cost as high as $600 for a full program in line with the new licensing requirements.
Governor Mike DeWine initially planned to help fund school-based programs and opportunities for low income students, but these subsidies didn’t make it into the law’s final draft, per Signal Cleveland.
This financial burden alone will likely delay enrollment for many, but even after getting the cash together, they could face additional delays as instructors warn of supply and demand issues.
“It’s going to be an extra 40,000 drivers that will be needing to drive between the ages of 18 to 20. So, every driving school is going to be busy, busy, busy,” driving school owner Christopher Shropshire told local Cincinnati outlet WKRC.
While some programs offer free progression in these areas, those in the age range above looking to get licensed will eventually need to enroll in a driver’s education program at the above prices.
In addition to the new licensing prerequisites mentioned above, drivers will also need to have 50 hours logged with a licensed adult other than their driving instructor, 10 of which must be at nighttime.
These requirements previously only applied to those under 18, who also had the added benefit of potentially taking driver’s education through their high school in situations where applicable.
18 to 20-year-olds could previously jump ahead to their road test immediately, and were able to take it over and over until they passed.
Even those who’ve already passed their road test and are actively licensed but younger than 21 will need to fulfill these requirements before legally being able to drive again, regardless of their driving records.
21-year-olds and up will still be able to get their licenses this way based on the verbiage of the new law and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office’s updated regulations.
It’s widely presumed that the impetus behind this law is the disproportionately high number of driver-related fatalities involving 18 and 19-year-olds in Ohio.
New September driving laws and rules
- Starting September 14, new speed cameras will be turned on in Florida and threaten with $100 fees
- On September 1, drivers in South Carolina will have to watch where they put their hands under a new hands-free law
- Also, on September 1, certain vehicles operating in Texas will have to get a special permit
- More drivers will be forced to get dozens of hours of training before getting their license under a new law
- And drivers have until September 30 to collect a $7,500 tax credit
They alone account for 58% of these fatalities in 2024, hence the emphasis on proper training for adult teenagers looking to get licensed.
Traffic crashes are also the leading cause of death for teens nationwide per the United States Department of Transportation.
NATIONWIDE DRIVER’S ED MANDATES
Ohio is far from the first state to up its expectations of prospective motorists, with Florida passing a law touching on a similar issue in July.
Those looking to get licensed in the state are now being forced to complete a driver’s education course and other tests before getting their learner’s permit, let alone a license.
That instead requires completion of a 50-hour course and others must before being able to drive.
However, even after getting their licenses, there are still strict rules and regulations to adhere to.
Other states are instead emphasizing the importance of drivers not relying on technology, as one Arizona teenager found out when she was asked to retake her road test despite passing.
