DOJ/MVD Student Driver Relief Program Launched
DOJ/MVD Issuing Learner Licenses for 15-year-olds to address backlog
On April 2, 2021, the Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) announced its temporary Student Driver Relief Program to allow teens aged 15 to apply for a learner license without the need to complete a state-approved driver education course. Citing the backlog of teens wanting to enroll in driver education, but having to wait several months for an opening, "Attorney General Austin Knudsen has instructed MVD to provide temporary relief in obtaining a temporary learner’s permit. Under the new guidance, students can start the licensing process at 15 years of age through self-study and behind-the-wheel practice with a parent or responsible adult. These temporary changes are in accordance with Montana Code (61-5-105(b))."
The agency hasn't determined how long the temporary relief program will be in effect.
School districts running Driver Education programs and the OPI Traffic Education Office have received numerous inquiries about this temporary measure initiated by the DOJ to give parents more options for their teens.
The DOJ's Student Driver Relief Program is intended for families who do not have available driver education in their community or find it a hardship to wait for an opening.
The benefits of State-approved Driver Education in Montana
Most of the 130 school districts around Montana that run driver education programs can accommodate the teens wanting this instruction. The benefits are many:
- Teens can enroll if they will be 14.5 years old by the completion of the course.
- Teens enrolled in driver education can test for a learner license and receive their permit as part of the course.
- The GDL practice driving period of 6 months/50 hours starts when their teacher begins driving with them, not when the learner's permit is issued, shortening the time it takes to get their restricted license.
- Driver education courses begin with a parent meeting to cultivate the valuable partnership with the people (parents/guardians and/or responsible adults) who will supervise their teens' first six months of driving practice, providing essential resources and support.
- Driver education gives novice teen drivers a good head start in learning the rules of the road and how to operate a motor vehicle safely.
- Driver education is taught by state-approved, highly trained professionals following a curriculum that emphasizes skill-building, safety, responsibility, and good judgment.
The OPI Traffic Education Office is committed to support the quality instruction and behind-the-wheel training provided by more than 300 professional traffic education instructors in Montana. An average of 8,500 Montana teens each year gain valuable, life-saving skills in driver education courses, making Montana roads safer for everyone.
Contact the Traffic Education Office with questions about state-approved traffic education programs in Montana, becoming a state-approved traffic educator, attending a Montana DRIVE Workshop, and for parent and teen driver education resources.
Call Traffic Education Director Dwight Nelson at (406) 444-4396 or email dwight.nelson@mt.gov. More info: http://opi.mt.gov/DriverEd
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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