A presenter for the Washington State Department of Licensing told the Transportation Committee that Washington should phase any expansion of mandatory driver education and invest first in access, instructors and affordability before raising the age of required instruction.

The presenter summarized Washington State University research finding that expanding the driver education requirement through age 24 would require a 60% growth in the driver education industry — more schools, instructors, vehicles and facilities — and said the state’s public and private infrastructure cannot support that expansion immediately. “If we were to increase the driver education requirement through the age of age 24, we would require a industry growth within the driver education industry of 60%,” the presenter said.

Committee members were told the plan prioritizes improving quality and availability for learners under 18, then building capacity so older novice drivers could be included later. The presenter said the committee should aim to get more people into driver education while they still benefit from graduated driver licensing, and to “lay the groundwork for expanding and creating an environment where those individuals over the age of 18 can benefit from the program.”

Why it matters: committee members heard that young drivers remain a significant safety concern and that access is uneven. The presenter cited geography and instructor availability as distinct problems: a nearby school does not guarantee seats because some areas lack instructors or programs able to meet demand.

Key proposals and findings

- Three stated goals: support the existing instructor workforce (training, certification pathways and ongoing support); expand access and affordability (scholarships, awareness, varied delivery methods); and improve diversity and inclusion among instructors and programs.

- A five-phase implementation approach would first “establish the foundation,” expand capacity, run pilots and only incrementally raise the required participation age after the industry grows (the presenter said a 40% industry growth could support expansion to ages 18–21, with the final step to 21–24 requiring about 60% growth).

- Instructor certification: current statute requires at least 100 hours of theory and practicum training to be a certified instructor. The presenter said a pilot will test a 10-week blended (synchronous/asynchronous) program plus behind-the-wheel practice to shorten time-to-certification and expand training capacity.

- Cost and student capacity: the presenter said the current average cost of driver education in Washington is about $625. “For about every $1,000,000 that's allocated to driver education, that would allow the department to potentially fund 1,600 students full cost of driver education,” the presenter said. The pilot model aims to reach roughly three times the number of students at about one-third the per‑student cost by using online, coach-supported theory and performance dashboards for students, coaches and educators.

- Program design: proposals include Department of Licensing (DOL) online instructor-led, self‑paced theory training for learners and their coaches (parents/mentors), performance dashboards, scholarships or grants targeted to highest‑need communities, and efforts to expand driver education offerings in high schools (through CTE or life‑skills courses) working with OSPI.

- Regulatory alignment and capacity: the presentation noted a reliance on out‑of‑state instructor training (Western Oregon University) and said Washington should expand in‑state certification options and align RCWs that touch education and licensing to remove barriers between public and private delivery.

Committee response and next steps

Several committee members asked for details on timelines, how to accelerate teacher certification, and whether appropriations could start micro‑grant pilots in schools; the presenter recommended targeted appropriations to seed programs and to support “driver education desert” pilots. Representative Klicker and others described rural constituents’ need for local access and offered to work on appropriations.

The presenter cautioned the committee not to mandate wider age requirements until capacity and access are demonstrably expanded by the phases and pilots described.