Is there a way to provide driver’s education to all New York teenagers?

Drivers' education for teens in New York is not required. The 712 programs that are offered are a collaboration with NYSED, the Department of Motor Vehicles and local schools. But schools' participation is growing smaller and smaller, ddespite increased awareness of teen fatal crashes, including the "100 Deadliest Days" between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Driver’s education for teens can cost $600-700. Many remember when drivers’ education was a course schools taught, but funding and labor issues have taken it out of many schools.

There's an instructional course through a community engagement program at Manlius Pebble Hill School. Students like high school junior Uday Atwal say taking the class definitely calms their new driver jitters.

“I was kinda nervous to start driving, and of course it’s a very scary thing for someone that doesn’t do it very often," Atwal said. "So I thought it would definitely be something to help me improve my driving skills and become a better safer driver.”

"I also had a very unfortunate high school experience of being into severe car accidents in my senior year. And both of those were my fault," Botting said. "Both of those could’ve easily been avoided.”

So why aren’t all schools teaching drivers' ed? Legislators say it comes down to money.

“It’s up to each individual school district to make a determination on what they want to spend and what they want to spend it on, so I would tell parents who are in this area that they should be active with their school boards," says Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli (D-129), "and ask them to put it back on the agenda.”

Family budgets are also a hurdle teens have to overcome. Mariana Newton, an 11th grader, understands.

“I miss softball every Wednesday to come to this class and I’m grateful that I have, because ... I don’t have my mom or my dad in the passenger seat, helping me out with the situation and remembering what Mr. Botting taught me," Newton said. "The knowledge that I’ve gained is more than the money the classes cost me.”

The costs raise questions about equitable access to drivers’ education for all students. It is something Magnarelli has worked on as a member of the transportation committee.

“There have been pieces of legislation that have come in front of the transportation committee, which I chair for the Assembly, that would kind of allow private companies to come in and give driver’s ed," Magnarelli said. "The problem so far has been that those drivers are not certified teachers, whereas ... the driving instructors were teachers, which means they’re certified. They know how to deal with children and they’ve been vetted.”

Twenty-three states make sure drivers are vetted and require drivers’ education for all drivers younger than 18. New York does not require driver's education, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. New York teens can earn an unrestricted license at 16 and cheaper insurance rates by taping the brakes and taking the class.

That Manlius Pebble Hill Schools Community Program course is $625. The school offers financial aid and payment plans. Officials are working to find grant funding to reduce or eliminate the costs for teens. For more details, contact communityprograms@mphschool.org or call the summer programs office at 315-446-2452. You can also call your local board of education and see if drivers' education is somethitng that could be added to the curriculum.