July 14, 2005 - For Immediate Release
DOL and State Rep. Deb Wallace team up to improve driver training school laws
OLYMPIA—With teenage drivers looking on, State Rep. Deb Wallace (D-Vancouver) and Department of Licensing Director Liz Luce yesterday announced plans to improve the laws that govern commercial driver training schools.
Standing in front of Hudson Bay High School in Vancouver, they unveiled elements of legislation Wallace will introduce designed to increase the educational and business standards these schools must meet.
“With the help of the commercial driver training industry and other public safety agencies, we have identified many ways to better ensure our kids are ready to drive when they hit the road,” Luce said.
The proposed legislation also will make it easier for the Department of Licensing (DOL) to enforce existing and proposed driver training school laws by making the schools subject to the same laws DOL uses to regulate other licensed businesses and professions.
“The legislation I will propose is going to strengthen the curriculum in these schools, make sure instructors are qualified, and give DOL new tools to deal with violations of these laws,” Wallace said. “In short, we are going to improve traffic safety education for our children and make sure parents are getting what they pay for.”
Wallace and DOL will work together in coming months with the commercial driver training industry and other interested parties to finalize a legislative proposal. Key elements will likely include:
- Making commercial driver training schools subject to the same laws DOL uses to regulate other licensed businesses and professions.
- Increasing the minimum insurance coverage schools must carry.
- Strengthening the requirements for getting a driving instructor license.
- Expand the ability to stop fraudulent practices to include deceptive activities uncovered in recent audits.
- Expanding the current requirement for criminal background checks of instructor applicants to include school owners.
- Increasing the driving time required of students from four hours to six hours.
- Expanding student curriculum requirements to include information on intermediate driver's license requirements and restrictions.