Support legislation for an online driver’s ed course

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

To the Editor:

Currently driver’s ed costs approximately $600-$700 per teen in New Hampshire. Families must pay for driver’s ed if they want their teen to get a New Hampshire license before their 18th birthday.

HB 1440, the proposed “Driver’s Ed Bill,” offers families a second option – an online driver’s ed course. The classroom portion of driver’s ed would be online; the in-car portion would be supervised by a parent or guardian. Proponents of the bill say it would lower the cost of driver’s ed to around $70.

This isn’t a new idea. States that allow online drivers ed classes are Connecticut, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas. There’s been no increase in teen car accidents since their online programs have been instituted.

Here’s a link to the 2012 Driver’s Ed Bill Web site: http://driveredbill.com.

There will be a hearing for HB 1440 in front of the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 1:20 p.m. in Legislative Office Building Room 203. Our representative from Amherst, Sean Coughlin, is on that committee.

I am contacting Rep. Coughlin asking him to support this bill, and I will be at the hearing in January. Please support this effort to make driver’s education more affordable in New Hampshire.

CARA BARLOW

Milford