COLUMBUS—In recognition of National Teen Driver Safety Week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that two new tools are now available for parents and driving school instructors to help better prepare young drivers who are still gaining experience behind the wheel.
New, localized traffic safety bulletins and an all-digital driver’s permit packet can now be found on the Ohio Traffic Safety Office’s (OTSO) website.
In partnership with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, OTSO will biannually publish 88 county-specific driver training bulletins for use by parents, teachers, and driving instructors to help educate young drivers on local-level driving trends, dangerous roads and intersections, and seatbelt usage.
“We are continuously looking for ways to equip Ohio’s young drivers with information to help them make good decisions behind the wheel,” said Governor DeWine. “Each county in Ohio has unique driver-safety issues based on varying landscapes, population, and roads, so this local information can help parents and driving instructors determine which driving skills to focus on with new and practicing drivers.”
In addition to making the bulletins available on its website, OTSO will distribute the publications to all driver training schools in the state so that instructors can adapt behind-the-wheel training to their local area.
“A majority of all crashes are caused by driver error, and that’s definitely true for new teen drivers who are still getting used to being behind the wheel,” said OTSO Director Felice Moretti. “The information presented on these data sheets is like having an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper in the classroom and will help young drivers develop good decision-making and safe driving habits that can last a lifetime.”
OTSO is also simplifying the process to find information needed for obtaining a driver’s permit. All documents relevant to teen driver training and obtaining an Ohio driver’s license are now all available online. A QR code linking to the Ohio Driver’s Permit Packet will also be displayed at all Ohio BMV driver exam stations and deputy registrar license agencies.
The new guide is designed to answer the most common questions that teen drivers and parents have about getting licensed to drive in Ohio. It also addresses teen driver safety risks like impaired driving and distracted driving and outlines the importance of following speed limits, limiting passengers, and wearing seatbelts. Although this information has always been available on the Ohio BMV website, it has not been packaged together in one place until now.
As a division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, OTSO’s mission is to save lives and reduce injuries on Ohio’s roads through leadership and partnering efforts with others interested in traffic safety, utilizing the most innovative and efficient methods possible of managing state and federal resources.
