- Starting late September, Ohio will require anyone under 21 to complete full driver’s training.
- Some say it will improve safety, others argue it could hurt the workforce and burden families.
- Compared to nations like Germany, American licensing standards nationwide remain low.
At the end of September, getting a driver’s license in Ohio isn’t going to be as simple as rolling into the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), passing a written test, and hitting the road for those under 21. A new law tucked into House Bill 96 requires anyone under the age of 21 to complete the same driver’s education requirements as teenagers before getting a license. Maybe that shouldn’t be controversial, but it’s already proving so.
Essentially, the new law means that anyone under 21 has to get 24 hours of classroom instruction, eight hours of behind-the-wheel training from a licensed instructor, and 50 hours of adult-supervised driving practice. Undoubtedly, that comes with a financial burden. Driving schools in Ohio charge north of $400, but state leaders say the benefits outweigh the cost.
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