In 2017, Homer Weekly realized Ohio had a significant problem with driver’s education. As the owner of a private driver’s ed school in Morgan County, he noticed students were coming from farther and farther away, even from as far as Westerville, a suburb of Columbus located nearly 90 miles away.

“We were getting students from Westerville,” Weekly recalls. “Parents told us their kids were on waiting lists of over 90 to start driving lessons. That’s when we knew it had become a crisis.”

Historically, driver’s education was a program offered in high schools. But the privatization of driver’s ed in Ohio, which began in the 1990s, has left many students with limited access, especially in rural and low-income urban areas. As the need for driver’s education in Ohio has increased, the system has struggled to keep up.

The privatization effort has created problems, including high prices, long waiting lists, and slim profit margins for schools. This leaves many 16- and 17-year-olds unable to legally drive, severely limiting their ability to get jobs and engage in extracurricular activities. Worse still, those who do get their licenses after turning 18 without completing driver’s education are at a higher risk of accidents, according to a state-funded study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania.

A troubling 23% of fatal crashes involving teen drivers in Ohio in 2023 were caused by drivers who lacked a license or permit. In poorer areas, access to driver’s education is even more restricted, with a 2023 study showing that teenagers in some Columbus neighborhoods are four times less likely to complete driver’s ed compared to their peers.

For many families, the cost of driver’s education is too high, further exacerbating the issue. Mike Belcoure, manager of driver’s education for AAA Alliance Inc., points out that in Ohio, the cost for in-car training ranges from $400 to $950, pricing many out of the market, particularly in rural areas.

The situation is made worse by the long waiting lists for driver’s ed classes, especially in less populated regions of the state. This shortage, which Belcoure refers to as “driver’s ed deserts,” means that students in these areas often find it difficult to access available spots in a timely manner, further delaying their ability to get a license.

Several factors contribute to the problems faced by private driving schools, including high operational costs such as insurance and the difficulty of recruiting qualified instructors. These challenges are particularly problematic in rural areas, where there are fewer students to sustain driving schools and where schools have a limited budget for this essential service.

However, there is a glimmer of hope for Ohio teens, as a new public school-based driver’s education program in Zanesville is proving successful. Created with support from Governor Mike DeWine’s administration, this program uses federal coronavirus relief funds to offer affordable driver’s ed in schools. Students pay just $350 for a course that would typically cost much more, thanks to subsidies and the ability to roll insurance costs into existing school bus insurance plans.

The program’s success has been rapid, expanding from 13 districts in 2022 to 30 districts by 2024. With more schools getting involved, the program offers an affordable, efficient solution to Ohio’s driver’s ed crisis.

Governor DeWine has also called for a potential change in state law that would require all new drivers, not just those under 18, to complete driver’s ed before obtaining their license. The state has already taken steps in this direction, including launching a scholarship program aimed at addressing the lack of access for low-income families. Despite the growing momentum, private providers have expressed concerns about government involvement in what they see as a competitive business model.

As Ohio continues to grapple with its driver’s education crisis, the expansion of school-based programs like the one in Zanesville may offer a blueprint for broader access across the state. With the backing of state funding and a focus on educational priorities, Ohio’s teenagers could have a much brighter future when it comes to driving opportunities—one that doesn’t depend on whether they can afford private lessons or wait for months on a waiting list.

The DeWine administration’s commitment to expanding access to driver’s education is encouraging, but the real challenge lies in ensuring that this expanded access reaches those who need it most, in both urban and rural communities. With the right support and continued efforts, Ohio can overcome its driver’s ed crisis and provide all teens with the chance to drive safely and legally.

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