OHIO — A new law for Ohio drivers under 21 will go into effect today.
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As reported on News Center 7 Daybreak, starting today, drivers under 21 must take driver’s education classes in order to get their license.
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This is a big change from the original Ohio law, which only required drivers 18 and under to take driver’s ed.
The new law is a part of the budget that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law earlier this year.
The law makes sure young people getting behind the wheel are ready to do it.
Gov. DeWine said that the previous law created a loophole, where people would wait until they turned 18, then take the test several times until they passed it to avoid taking driver’s education.
Now, people under 21 are legally required to complete 24 hours of classroom training, 8 hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor, and 50 hours with a parent or supervised driver.
“We know inexperience behind the wheel is really the #1 killer,” Gov. DeWine said.
To help keep track, state leaders announced the new RoadReady Ohio App.
It connects the adult with the young driver they are teaching, allowing them to log practice hours and give feedback.
Once you have the required hours, the app will put together everything needed to take the test.
“Once the 50 hours are completed, the required BMV affidavit can be generated with the completed 50-hour log,” Emily Davidson, Director of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, said. “It can then be printed, signed by an eligible adult, notarized, and taken to the BMV when the driver applies for their license.”
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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