Kick, Klopfenstein Introduce Legislation to Help New Drivers

COLUMBUS— State Representatives Darrell Kick (R-Loudonville) and Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) have introduced legislation that will modernize car instruction.

New technology is being developed that will assist parents and their teens during two of the most important parts of driver training: 50 hours of parent coaching and 8 hours of in-car driving evaluation. The new driving tool will check if the right number of practice hours is done, give advice to improve driving skills, and assess how well those skills are mastered.

“Current law prohibits parents from providing 8 hours of in-car instruction,” said Kick. “This legislation will change this prevision to allow it if the parents are using an electronic education device or application approved by the Department of Public Safety.”

The new software will be able to be used on devices like a smartphone or the car's computer system. The advancements will make driver education more accessible and reduce the cost for families by offering a more affordable option.

“This change to driving instruction is completely permissive, and if any safety concerns arise, DPS maintains the ability to conduct evaluations of the application and would have the authority to approve or deny any application,” said Klopfenstein.

The legislation awaits committee assignment.