Changes coming to to Ohio driver’s ed laws

SYLVANIA, Ohio — Young adults ages 18 to 21 who may be looking to get their driver’s license have a little time before the process changes.

Starting Sept. 30, anyone 21 and younger will have to go through driver’s education, which includes 24 hours of classroom training, eight hours behind the wheel with an instructor and 50 hours of driving with another adult 21 or older.

Danielle Spino, owner of Toledo Driving Schools in Sylvania, said no driver’s education puts other drivers on the road at risk.

“They don’t understand the rules of the road. They don’t even know the basics like how to get car insurance,” Spino said. “There were over 35,000 kiddos who went last year and got their driver’s license between the ages of 18 and 21. That’s a lot of students out there with no education that are getting a license.”

This change is part of the Ohio House Bill 96, which state Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R, Bowling Green), a co-sponsor of the bill, said she’s received only positive feedback from.

“The education you get in driver’s ed is more than just memorizing facts out of a book, it’s the experience and learning from an experienced instructor,” Gavarone said.

Now, anyone 21 and older can bypass driver’s education. Gavarone said these three years will make a difference.

“Especially when you look at the statistics that 58% of the fatal crashes involve 18 and 19-year-olds,” Gavarone said. “I think increasing that age requirement to 21 is going to have a tremendous impact.”

Spino also said she’s seen an influx of international students due to a law that took effect on July 1. The law requires the same driving education for international students and adults as anyone under 21 come Sept. 30.

Spino said she supports the new law coming in September to mandate everyone get the proper education they need.

Anyone 18 or older used to be able to bypass driver’s ed to get their license if they successfully passed their driver’s test.

“We’re trying to fix what’s broken, and in the long run, it’s just going to better everybody,” she said. “It just makes it safer.”