BILL REQ. #:  S-3866.1 

Read first time 01/30/14.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to expanding the delivery of traffic safety education; adding new sections to chapter 46.82 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 46.20 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 46.82 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department may establish a pilot project to provide an online option to fulfill the traffic safety education requirements under RCW 46.20.100.
     (2) The pilot project must be limited to one thousand students. At least forty percent of these students must reside east of the crest of the Cascade mountains.
     (3) The department must adopt rules implementing this section before students begin receiving online traffic safety education. The department's rules must include the following:
     (a) Direction for how online material will be provided, either by the department or private driver training schools licensed under this chapter, or a partnership agreement between the two;
     (b) Requirements for in-person training to supplement the online training curriculum; and
     (c) Standards for determining whether students are meeting educational requirements.
     (4)(a) Within six months after the conclusion of the pilot project, the department must provide a report to the legislature regarding the success of online delivery of traffic safety education.
     (b) This report must include the following information: (i) A summary of student performance compared to students' performance in traditional in-person education; (ii) a cost comparison between the pilot project and in-person education; and (iii) a recommendation to the legislature as to whether or not the pilot project should be expanded, including suggestions regarding how an online traffic safety education program could be improved.
     (5) The pilot project ends upon the one thousandth student completing the online traffic safety education course or June 30, 2016, whichever is earlier.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.20 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Any person eighteen to twenty-four years of age who is applying for his or her first Washington state driver's license and who did not complete a course in traffic safety education as required under RCW 46.20.100 must complete a young driver risk prevention traffic safety course that complies with the requirements of section 3 of this act and is offered by a licensed driver training school.
     (2) Any person who holds a valid driver's license from his or her previous home state and who is applying for a Washington state driver's license is exempt from the requirements in this section if he or she has held that out-of-state driver's license for at least one year.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 46.82 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) In addition to the basic curriculum required under RCW 46.82.420, a driver training school may offer a young driver risk prevention traffic safety course that complies with the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.
     (2) A young driver risk prevention traffic safety course required under section 2 of this act must comply with the following requirements:
     (a) The course must be able to be completed in a reasonable time to not unduly delay an applicant from obtaining a Washington state driver's license;
     (b) The course must meet minimum curriculum requirements developed by the department, providing information about, among other things: (i) The dangers of distracted driving; (ii) safe driving techniques concerning hazards such as severe weather, sharing the road with other vehicles and pedestrians, and driving in construction and school zones; and (iii) the duties incumbent upon drivers, such as insurance and registration requirements and steps drivers must take after an accident; and
     (c) Behind the wheel training must consist of basic skills and maneuvers to be determined by the department.
     (3) If the director is presented with acceptable proof that any licensed instructor or driver training school is not showing proper diligence in teaching the basic minimum curriculum as required under subsection (2) of this section, the instructor or school must appear before the director and show cause why the license of the instructor or school should not be revoked for such negligence. If the director does not accept such reasons as may be offered, the director may revoke the license of the instructor or school, or both.