Should Idaho Get Rid Of Drivers’ Ed Requirements [POLL]
My oldest son just got his license to drive last year and it seemed like a much different process than when I got mine 25 years ago. I grew up in Utah so there's a pretty good chance the requirements actually are different than here in Idaho. To get my license I took a driver's ed class from the school over the course of a few weeks and then I got my license. I only drove on the highway once during that time and I definitely didn't get in 50 hours of daytime and 10 hours of night driving. For my son to get his license last year he had to do all that driving, plus the driving lessons, and then take a driving test and the written test. Yet, with all that training and certification it's still scary to drive with him sometimes.
One of the things that I wish we could do in Idaho as parents when our kids are learning to drive is to be a bigger part of the teaching. It would also save us money on the driver's ed classes. In some states we learned that parents are allowed to do the driver training and then their kid just has to pass the driving test with someone certified by the state. That would have been cool. That also could become a reality in Idaho according to KTVB and a newly proposed bill.
The proposed House Bill 320 would give parents in Idaho the option of opting out of formal driving classes. The parents could then teach their kids the ways of the road. Teens would be able to apply for a learner's permit at age 14 but wouldn't be able to get a license until they turn 16. A petition has begun to keep the classes mandatory.