Michigan's driver education program praised by NHTSA

JULY 15, 2014

Michigan's driver education program praised by NHTSA
LANSING, Mich. Michigan's driver education program received high praise from a National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration-sponsored panel of national experts, Michigan Secretary of
State Ruth Johnson announced today.
"The report calls our driver education and traffic safety programs exemplary," Johnson said. "It's a
testament to our commitment to providing meaningful driver education training that helps keep
young drivers and everyone else on the road safe. We value the chance to be measured against
high national standards as part of our goal to keep improving."
Michigan is the seventh state to go through the voluntary driver education assessment sponsored by
NHTSA. Experts from Oregon, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington D.C., reviewed
Michigan's driver education program, identified strengths, accomplishments and problem areas, and
offered suggestions for improvement.
"Michigan is very lucky to have so many dedicated teen driver safety officials, instructors and
volunteers," said Troy Costales, an Oregon Department of Transportation safety division
administrator, who headed the assessment team that came to Michigan. "Every day all across the
state, teens are receiving top-quality instruction and guidance. The recent peer review can be used
to make these programs even better."

The report's priority recommendations included increasing parent involvement in the teen driver
program, such as attending sessions, requiring them to document the 50 hours of supervised driving
practice and providing feedback to parents on their teen's in-car driving skills. It also
suggested incrementally increasing the number of hours students spend in class from 30 to
45, and behind the wheel from six to 10 hours as well as in-car observation time from four to 10
hours.
Michigan sought out national input in large part because motor vehicle crashes are the leading
cause of teen deaths in the United States, claiming about 3,000 lives each year, Johnson said. In
2012, 10 percent of drivers in Michigan involved in fatal crashes were under the age of 21, she
added.
Michigan's laws are designed to help teens gradually and safely build their skills and experience
behind the wheel.
Michigan's Graduated Driver Licensing program introduces driving concepts gradually, allowing
young drivers to master certain skills before increasing their driving privileges with the GDL 2 and 3
licenses. Teens are not required to advance to the next license level until they're ready or turn 18.
In addition to any driver training program teens participate in, the Secretary of State
provides materials, including access to a free smartphone app that helps parents and guardians
track the required practice hours behind the wheel with their teen and offers coaching tips. Additional
information is available at Michigan.gov/teendriver.
Johnson has been a big supporter of efforts to improve driver education in Michigan. Last year, she
partnered with Ford Motor Co. to offer new resources for students as part of the Parent's Supervised
Driving Program. The program even includes a mobile app so students can track their practice hours
behind the wheel. This year, she is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters on efforts to improve
access to driver education.

Such resources can help make a difference in how prepared teens are when they get behind the
wheel by themselves, said Tom Clarkson, Field Senior Vice President, Allstate. The Allstate
Foundation has made teen safe driving a signature focus, and offers resources including a Parent
Coaching Guide and Parent-Teen Agreement atwww.allstateteendriver.com.
"Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens in America," Clarkson said. "And inexperience is the
leading cause of teen crashes. Graduated driver licensing is a system that is proven effective at
reducing teen drivers' high crash rates by 20 percent to 40 percent, because it slowly exposes teens
to the driving experience. We commend the state of Michigan for investing in resources and
developing laws to help keep teens safe on our roads."
For more information about branch office locations, hours and services, visit www.Michigan.gov/sos.
Sign up for the official Secretary of State Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/michsos and Facebook
updates atwww.facebook.com/MichiganSoS.
Customers also may call the Department of State Information Center to speak to a customer service
representative at 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424).

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