Ohio budget changes driver's education requirements. Here's the new law
The two-year state budget signed by Gov. Mike DeWine modifies current law, which allows 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to take a short class or avoid lessons altogether. DeWine spent months advocating for the change, saying new, adult drivers need just as much training as teenagers.
"We know that young people who go through driver's training become safer drivers − safer for themselves and safer for everyone else on the road," DeWine said during a July 1 news conference. "And that's not just true for young people. It's true for adults."
Right now, Ohioans under 18 must take a driver's education course with 24 hours of classroom or online instruction and eight hours of driving time. They also have to drive 50 hours with a parent or guardian − including 10 at night − and hold their temporary permit for at least six months.
Adults, by contrast, can skip training altogether if they pass a road test. Those who don't must complete a four-hour course, plus abbreviated behind-the-wheel training with an instructor or licensed driver.
DeWine said the consequences are clear: Last year, 58% of fatal crashes caused by a teen driver involved 18- and 19-year-olds, according to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office.
More adults are getting driver's licenses for the first time, in part because teenagers wait to avoid the cost of a full course. Driving schools are also less accessible to people in rural areas.
Lawmakers scrapped a budget proposal from DeWine to put driver's education back in schools. Instead, the state will require districts to excuse high school students who take a private driving course. Students can only miss eight hours of school and won't be able to leave during a core class.
State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@gannett.com or @haleybemiller on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio will require full driver's education course for people under 21
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
AirPod dilemma: Is driving with earbuds illegal in Ohio?
Seeing someone with AirPods or other earbuds while doing pretty much any activity is not uncommon in 2025: at the grocery store, at sporting events, even during court hearings. But is it legal to drive in Ohio with earbuds in your ears? The short answer is, "No." Wearing headphones or earbuds, even if no music or other sound is playing, is illegal while driving in Ohio. The law applies to any device worn in or over the ears, whether wired or connected via Bluetooth, that can provide radio programming, music, or other information. The law does not apply to hearing aids or medical devices. Earpieces used by first responders and emergency personnel for communication purposes are also permitted. Ohio's law also provides exceptions for people driving machinery that creates loud noise, like garbage trucks and highway maintenance vehicles. An exception also exists for motorcyclists who wear earplugs or another device to protect their hearing while driving. Drivers in Ohio are expected to be able to hear what is going on around them, like sirens from emergency vehicles and warning sounds from trains. Ohio's headphones law is considered a secondary traffic offense, meaning a driver can't be pulled over just for wearing them. However, if the driver gets pulled over for something else, like speeding, an officer can cite them for having them in their ears. Does Ohio's law about wearing earbuds while driving get enforced? Franklin County Municipal Court records indicate that 52 tickets have been issued for wearing headphones since 2020, with seven of these occurring in the first six months of 2025. Columbus police filed the most citations, 43 of the 52. By comparison, there have been nearly 5,000 citations for distracted driving issued during the same time frame. The vast majority, approximately 3,500, were issued by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Distracted driving became an enforceable primary offense in Ohio in October 2023. Of the total 4,991 tickets issued in Franklin County Municipal Court for distracted driving, 4,770 were issued in 2024 and the first six months of 2025. Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@ or on Bluesky at @ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is driving with headphones, AirPods legal in Ohio? Solve the daily Crossword
Car and Driver
13-07-2025
- Car and Driver
It Just Got Harder to Get a Driver's License in the State of Ohio
Ohio is closing a loophole that allowed adults to receive driving licenses with minimal education. A new state budget requires any Ohioan under the age of 21 to complete a full driver-training course. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had also looked to move driver training into the public school system, but that's not currently happening. Thanks to a newly passed state budget in Ohio, adults looking to get a driver's license in the state will have to complete a driver education class, similar to that required for new drivers under the age of 18. If you're not an Ohio resident, it may come as a surprise that this wasn't already a requirement, but it's true. Previously, if you deferred getting your driving license from 16 until 18, all you needed to do was pass a road test or complete a four-hour course. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has been calling for a change to this loophole for months, and has now signed into the budget the requirement that any Ohioan 21 and under will be required to pass a full course. He cites local collision records as proof positive that current driving training isn't cutting it: in 2024, more than half of fatal crashes with teen drivers involved 18- or 19-year-olds. From the statistics, younger drivers may actually be better trained. If you're a new driver under the age of 18 in Ohio, required driver training is about the same as in many other states: 24 hours of classroom instruction (online is also allowable) is followed by eight hours of on-the-road driving, with a requirement of a further 50 hours of instruction by a parent or guardian. A temporary driving permit has to be held for at least six months. Getty Images With it being so easy to just wait until an 18th birthday and wing it, many young drivers choose the path of least resistance. Now, that route is closed, although it's not all good news for public safety. Gov. DeWine had also looked for an inclusion in the state budget that would make driver education part of the public school curriculum. Other legislators nixed this, keeping driving schools in the private sector. Students will, however, be allowed to leave school outside of core classes to attend a driving class. If you live in a rural part of Ohio, the new rules might be something of a pain, as accessibility to driving schools is limited. However, the online component at least should be straightforward, and requiring more education and time behind the wheel is undoubtedly a good thing for road safety as a whole. Brendan McAleer Contributing Editor Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. Read full bio
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Yahoo
It Just Got Harder to Get a Driver's License in Ohio, but That's Not a Bad Thing
Ohio is closing a loophole that allowed adults to receive driving licenses with minimal education. A new state budget requires any Ohioan under the age of 21 to complete a full driver-training course. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had also looked to move driver training into the public school system, but that's not currently happening. Thanks to a newly passed state budget in Ohio, adults looking to get a driver's license in the state will have to complete a driver education class, similar to that required for new drivers under the age of 18. If you're not an Ohio resident, it may come as a surprise that this wasn't already a requirement, but it's true. Previously, if you deferred getting your driving license from 16 until 18, all you needed to do was pass a road test or complete a four-hour course. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has been calling for a change to this loophole for months, and has now signed into the budget the requirement that any Ohioan 21 and under will be required to pass a full course. He cites local collision records as proof positive that current driving training isn't cutting it: in 2024, more than half of fatal crashes with teen drivers involved 18- or 19-year-olds. From the statistics, younger drivers may actually be better trained. If you're a new driver under the age of 18 in Ohio, required driver training is about the same as in many other states: 24 hours of classroom instruction (online is also allowable) is followed by eight hours of on-the-road driving, with a requirement of a further 50 hours of instruction by a parent or guardian. A temporary driving permit has to be held for at least six months. With it being so easy to just wait until an 18th birthday and wing it, many young drivers choose the path of least resistance. Now, that route is closed, although it's not all good news for public safety. Gov. DeWine had also looked for an inclusion in the state budget that would make driver education part of the public school curriculum. Other legislators nixed this, keeping driving schools in the private sector. Students will, however, be allowed to leave school outside of core classes to attend a driving class. If you live in a rural part of Ohio, the new rules might be something of a pain, as accessibility to driving schools is limited. However, the online component at least should be straightforward, and requiring more education and time behind the wheel is undoubtedly a good thing for road safety as a whole. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
