Is your teen learning to drive? A new scholarship could save you $500 in instruction fees

One roadblock has been eliminated for Georgia teens who want to learn to drive. Students ages 15 to 17 can apply online for the Driver's Education Grant Scholarship, which provides vouchers for state-approved driving courses.

These classes allow teens to fulfill the Joshua's Law requirements of 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of driving with an instructor, said Harris Blackwood, Georgia Driver's Education Commission chairman and director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. In addition, they must do 40 hours of supervised driving time before getting their license.

State-funded driver's education classes were once offered in all public schools, but that went by the wayside about 30 years ago as budgets were cut. Some private and public schools still provide courses, but students often must seek out private agencies for instruction and foot the bill now, he said. Bibb County public schools don't offer courses, said Director of Communica tions Stephanie Hartley.

Some community organizations have stepped up to fill the void. For instance, the Kiwanis Club of Macon has offered free instruction for the past seven years through its Teen Driving Roadeo, said David Cozart, the club's president-elect and event organizer. About 100 teens normally participate, and the eighth annual event is Sept. 30.

The new initiative from the Georgia Driver's Education Commission will allow more Georgia students to receive training at no charge. In 2015, the agency started offering scholarships to teens for driver's education courses at technical colleges. A year later, 7,682 students had completed courses as a result, said Josh Turner, commission director.

On March 1, the process was modified so students given scholarships could choose courses from a number of authorized providers. Nearly 800 students have received scholarships in the first month.

Funding is awarded evenly among the congressional districts, and the vouchers pay for courses up to $500, Blackwood said. First priority goes to children of public safety professionals or military members killed in the line of duty, and second priority is applicants with financial hardships. The remaining scholarships are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

"We need to realize how many kids out there are inexperienced drivers," Cozart said. "I hope that (the scholarships) will cover a wide range of kids, and they're able to get some experience."

In 2016, 280 Georgia drivers between the ages 15 of 24 were killed in car wrecks, according to the commission.

"Traffic accidents are the leading death among our teenage population in the United States," Cozart. "It's really a problem, and we're just trying to do something to impact that number."

Everyday distractions and technology are leading to more incidents, and proper training is a necessity for young drivers, Blackwood said. Sometimes pa rents aren't the best teachers, and certified trainers will make sure all the bases are covered, Cozart said.

"We entrust a person who is 16 years old, who is still to some degree immature, with a two-ton piece of steel that when used properly is a wonderful transportation tool. When it's not used properly, it's a deadly weapon," Blackwood said.

Georgia doesn't have an intrastate railway and has limited bus service, so it's important for teens to learn how to drive. It could mean the different between them going to college or getting a job after high school, Blackwood said.

Source: Is your teen learning to drive? A new scholarship could save you $500 in instruction fees