Person driving vehicle.

Improving Younger Driver Safety (ESSB 5583) Feasibility Study

At a Glance

Crash rates in Washington State have increased, especially among younger drivers. To address this issue, the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 5583, which required the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) to conduct a feasibility study for expanding the driver education requirement to young adults (18 to 24-year-olds).

Objectives

Examine the following:

  • Resources needed for expansion
  • Potential financial needs of persons and students who may be impacted by the expansion
  • Access and barriers to receiving driver training education
  • The effect of similar driver education expansions adopted by other states

Equity and Access

  • Income, family structure, race, and ethnicity impact the likelihood of driving
  • Cost of driving education in Washington is a significant barrier
  • Language and cultural barriers to driver education persist
  • Approximately 200,000 individuals in Washington live more than 30 minutes from the nearest driving school
  • Georgia, Wisconsin, and Ohio offer scholarships for driver education
  • As of 2023, the majority of students in Washington schools are from low-income families

Project Lead

Season Hoard – Principal Investigator

Chart showing number of students who completed a driver education course from 2018 to 2023. There is an upward trend, with the exception of a dip in 2020.

From 2021 to 2023, 83% of
18-to 24-year-olds receiving
their first license did NOT
complete driver education
training

Click here to access the full report on the WA Department of Licensing website.

Capacity to Support

  • Public school-based programs have rapidly declined since 2000
  • Currently, public school instructors cannot get trained in Washington
  • Out-of-state options for public instructor training are limited
  • There is a nationwide instructor shortage
316 Private driver training schools

27 Public driver training schools
750 Active instructors in Washington

Recommendations

  • The DOL should develop and provide training for instructors
  • The DOL and Washington OSPI should closely align training requirements for public and private instructors
  • Consider state-funded grants and scholarships to expand driver education in under-served areas
  • Explore sustainable funding for driver education, such as a surcharge on traffic citations similar to Georgia

Each of these recommendations have been introduced in Washington legislation.